July 4, 2026, 7:48 p.mJuly 4, 2026, 7:49 p.m
These drone images from April show the extent of the destruction in Kostiantynivka.Image: sc/x.com
The Ukrainian military has contradicted Moscow’s claim that it captured the town of Kostiantynivka in the Donbass industrial region. The General Staff’s morning report said that there were still fighting in the small town, which previously had 67,000 inhabitants. Fighting is also still going on in villages even closer to Russian positions, such as Ivanopyllja.
Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin said during a visit to a command center the evening before that the Russian army had brought Kostiantynivka completely under control. Ukrainian military blogs like DeepState continue to list only parts of the city as Russian-occupied. Russian military bloggers have not yet claimed the entire city for their army.
The Russian military leadership surprisingly offered Ukraine a ceasefire in Kostiantynivka to give both sides the opportunity to exchange the bodies of fallen soldiers. The defense ministry in Moscow said the six-hour ceasefire was planned for Tuesday. The response from Kyiv to this proposal is expected by Sunday afternoon.
Zelenskyj: The umpteenth Russian lie
“This is just the umpteenth Russian lie to get at least some message into circulation,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj during a telephone call with Chancellor Friedrich Merz. He called on Putin to meet with him in Kostiantynivka. “If Kostiantynivka were currently under Russian control, Putin would probably have no problem meeting with me there and finding diplomatic solutions to finally end the war.” Nevertheless, Putin will not cross the front. “The truth is very different from Putin’s words,” said Zelensky.
The Kremlin immediately rejected the offer of talks in Kostiantynivka. Zelenskyj could come to Moscow if he is ready to make responsible decisions, said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, according to the state agency Tass. He recalled that Putin had agreed to receive Zelensky in Moscow. “After all, Moscow is the capital of the Russian Federation and not Konstiantynivka.” Zelensky categorically rejects a visit to Moscow.
Institute: Putin needs positive news
The US Institute for War Studies (ISW) wrote that Moscow forces had gained ground in Kostiantynivka in recent weeks. But above all, the Russian presence in the city consists of small shock troops between Ukrainian positions. The ISW viewed Putin’s victory announcement as an attempt to gain media attention before the weekend celebrations of 250 years of US independence.
The Russian head of state appeared in uniform with the military for the first time in a long time. Announcing the army’s successes is important for Putin. The fuel crisis in Russia, caused by Ukrainian counterattacks with drones, has caused great discontent among the population.
One of Putin’s war goals is to bring Donbass completely under Russian rule. After the fall of Kostiantynivka, of the larger cities in the Donetsk region, only Sloviansk, Kramatorsk and Druzhkivka would remain under Ukrainian control. (sda/dpa)