Russia’s military declared on Friday that its troops have taken control of Kostiantynivka, a city in eastern Ukraine that Moscow has long considered a critical target in its ongoing push through the Donetsk region.
The announcement was delivered by General Valery Gerasimov, the head of Russia’s General Chief of Staff, while President Vladimir Putin was on-site at a command post monitoring Russian military operations in Ukraine.
During a briefing to Putin on the conflict — now entering its fifth year — Gerasimov stated that the southern group of Russian forces was actively working to take full control of the Donetsk region.
“The troops of the group have liberated the city of Kostiantynivka, one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantnynivka fortified area,” Gerasimov said.
Russia’s Defence Ministry shared footage on the Telegram messaging platform purporting to show scenes from inside the captured city, including images of Russian soldiers raising national flags amid heavily damaged buildings.
For some time, Russia’s military had been reporting that its troops held portions of Kostiantynivka, which is considered part of a network of heavily fortified positions central to Ukraine’s defense of the region.
As of Friday, Ukraine’s military had not issued any statement in response to Russia’s claims.
