Russia says its forces captured Ukraine’s Kostiantynivka

Zelensky denies Russian capture of key eastern city Kostiantynivka

FE Team | Published: July 04, 2026 21:46:48

MOSCOW, July 04 (Agencies): Russia's military told Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday that its forces had taken control of Kostiantynivka in eastern Ukraine, a key locality whose capture Moscow has long sought in its advance through the Donetsk region.
Putin, shown in videos visiting a command post and receiving a report from top commanders, praised the city's capture as an important strategic achievement.
He also said Russian forces had to increase the scale of security zones in response to intensified Ukrainian long-range strikes, mainly against Russia's oil industry.
Ukraine made no comment on Russia's claim to have seized Kostiantynivka.
General Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, announced the city's capture in a report on the conduct of the war, now in its fifth year.
Gerasimov said the southern group of forces was carrying out offensive operations to "liberate" all of the Donetsk region, part of the broader Donbas region over which Russia has vowed to secure control as a key aim of its war effort.
"The troops of the group have liberated the city of Kostiantynivka, one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area", Gerasimov said.
Russia's military has for some time reported that its troops were in control of parts of Kostiantynivka, one of several cities seen as a network of key fortifications in Ukraine's defence of the region.
Putin described the city as having an important strategic significance.
"We all know that this city is a key transport and large industrial centre of Donbas," Putin said.
The Defence Ministry posted images on Telegram that it said were scenes from Kostiantynivka, including pictures of Russian soldiers holding national flags by shattered buildings.
Meanwhile, Ukraine still controls the strategically important eastern city of Kostiantynivka, President Volodymyr Zelensky and the General Staff said on Saturday, rejecting Russian claims that it has been captured.
Russia's military told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that its forces had taken control of Kostiantynivka, a target that Moscow has long sought in its advance through the Donetsk region.
"Of course, that is not true. It is just another Russian lie, an attempt to generate some kind of a news story," Zelensky said on X.
I spoke with German Chancellor Merz @bundeskanzler. I'm grateful for the support and assistance to our people and our country. Germany is one of the world's leaders in protecting lives, and we deeply value that.
"If Kostiantynivka were under Russian control, then perhaps Putin would have no problem meeting me there to find a diplomatic way to finally end this war," he added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The General Staff also said Kostiantynivka remained under the control of Ukrainian forces.