Russian forces are aggressively attempting to seize Kostiantynivka, a strategic city in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming full capture, though no evidence was provided. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vehemently denied these claims, calling them fabrications and inviting President Putin to meet him in the city for peace talks.

Kostiantynivka, once home to 66,000 residents, has been devastated by months of artillery, drone strikes, and guided bombs, reducing its population to around 2,000. Open-source analysts and Ukrainian officials report that Russian troops have infiltrated multiple neighborhoods, threatening to capture the city entirely before summer ends. The situation has worsened after the fall of nearby Toretsk and the breaching of natural defensive lines.

Experts note Russian tactics involve disrupting Ukrainian supply lines with drones and gradual urban infiltration by small assault groups, exhausting defenders. Despite heavy Russian reinforcements and pressure, Ukrainian forces continue to resist, aiming to hold the city and prevent further advances that could jeopardize critical defensive zones in Donetsk.