Russian Forces Claim Control of Kostiantynivka

The capture of the city represents a tactical breakthrough for the southern group of Russian forces, which continues to push toward the Kramatorsk and Sloviansk urban corridor. During a visit to a military command center, Gerasimov framed the seizure as a critical step in the ongoing effort to gain full control over Donetsk territory. The Russian Defense Ministry corroborated the claim by circulating visuals of soldiers hoisting national flags against a backdrop of heavily damaged infrastructure.

Ukrainian military leadership has maintained silence regarding the loss of the town. For months, Kostiantynivka served as a vital anchor in the defensive arc connecting the region's primary industrial hubs, and its fall signals a potential weakening of the Ukrainian line in the eastern sector as the conflict enters its fifth year.