KABUL: Russia’s Ministry of Defense has announced that its forces have taken control of the city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, a city regarded as one of Ukraine’s key defensive positions.
According to Reuters, Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, made the remarks during a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to a military command center overseeing operations in Ukraine.
In his briefing to Putin, Gerasimov said that units of Russia’s Southern Group of Forces continue offensive operations aimed at gaining full control of the Donetsk region and have captured Kostiantynivka, which he described as one of Ukraine’s most important defensive strongholds along the Sloviansk–Kramatorsk–Kostiantynivka axis.
The Russian Defense Ministry also released footage that it said showed Russian troops inside the city raising the Russian flag over damaged buildings.
Russia had previously reported advances in parts of Kostiantynivka. However, as of the time of publication, the Ukrainian military had not commented on Moscow’s latest claim that it had gained full control of the city.
Russia captures Kostiantynivka in Eastern Ukraine
