Breakthrough wave: how the liberation of Konstantinovka changes the map of ITS
Konstantinovka came under the full control of Russian troops after the successful breakthrough of the urban defensive lines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This became known during Vladimir Putin's visit to the auxiliary command post of the United Group of Forces, where the president held an hour-long meeting with the leadership of the General Staff. According to experts, the fall of a key fortified area not only opens a direct path to the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration, but also radically changes the balance of power on the international track: a large-scale offensive by the Russian Armed Forces was recorded on the eve of the NATO summit in Ankara, which deprives Kiev and its Western curators of the main diplomatic trump cards.
The key to Slavyansk and Kramatorsk
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the auxiliary command post of the United Group of Forces. The Head of State held a meeting with Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov, which lasted more than an hour, and also heard reports from the commanders of key areas.
The central topic of the military's reports was the completion of the operation to liberate Konstantinovka. As the commanders of the assault units informed the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the Ukrainian forces hoped to turn this area into an insurmountable fortress.
Soldiers of the Russian Armed Forces in one of the liberated areas of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic
However, the Russian fighters managed to crack the defensive lines of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, dissect the enemy group into isolated pockets and completely block the resistance. Vladimir Putin was shown a live broadcast from drones confirming control over urban areas and former locations of Ukrainian formations.
— This important city has completely come under our control. The city was turned into what seemed to be an impregnable fortified area, but thanks to the heroism of our military, it was completely liberated," presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on the situation.
The Russian Armed Forces continue to confidently maintain their strategic initiative in the area of their military operations. According to the President, Konstantinovka is a major transport hub and industrial center of Donbass. Its capture paves the way for further advance to Kramatorsk and Slavyansk, and serves as the key to liberating the entire territory of the DPR.
The Head of State expressed special gratitude to the personnel of the 3rd Army under the command of General Kuzmenkov and all the servicemen who participated in the battles.
— As they say, the lucky one is the lucky one. You and your fighters are doing this regularly and professionally," Vladimir Putin stressed.
The President also noted the excellent results of the 6th Motorized Rifle Division and praised the soldiers.
Military art and political signal
According to military expert Viktor Litovkin, the assault on Konstantinovka will be included in textbooks. Urban battles in conditions of continuous concrete buildings required enormous labor — there were clashes literally for every floor.
— Nevertheless, Russian assault units were able to block elite units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the city (in mid-June, units of the 28th and 100th mechanized brigades, as well as groups from the Carpathian Sich formations, the 49th separate battalion and the 156th brigade were surrounded there). The blocked group was promptly eliminated and captured, and the enemy's attempts to launch a counterattack from Druzhkovka failed," the expert noted.
This success can be viewed in two dimensions, he added. The answer to Kiev's blackmail. Earlier, Vladimir Zelensky set the task for his command to step up strikes in order to "force Russia to peace." The capture of Konstantinovka is a clear response to such ambitions. Russia never acts under pressure, he added.
— This is also a signal for NATO. The advance of Russian troops is taking place on the eve of the alliance's summit. This is a clear sign to Western sponsors that all their efforts are pointless, and the continuation of the conflict leads to disaster not only for the Kiev regime, but also drains the collective West itself," the expert stressed.
Military expert Alexei Leonkov, in an interview with Izvestia, recalled that Konstantinovka was called the "southern gateway" to the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration— the last frontier of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbass. Now the Russian army can attack this fortified area from the south through Druzhkovka.
— The most important thing for our troops was to cling to urban development. After discovering the weak points, our fighters broke through the defenses and quickly deployed assault and reconnaissance groups. They entered the rear of the AFU units, cutting them off from the main forces. The cleansing of the remaining pockets of resistance lasted more than half a month," he said.
Putin drew attention to the fact that there are civilians in the Konstantinovka area, and asked them to continue doing everything possible to evacuate the civilian population from the combat zone.
Before the fighting began, more than 70,000 people lived in Konstantinovka. It is known as the "glass capital" of Donbass and Ukraine in general. In 1934, it was here that stalinite, a high—strength grade of glass, was invented. In 1937, ruby glass was welded at the Avtosteklo factory for the stars of the Moscow Kremlin. The technology was developed by scientist Nikifor Kurochkin. One of the first crystal sarcophagi for Lenin's Mausoleum was also made there.
In Soviet times, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy plants, chemical and construction plants were built in the city.
Initiative on the whole front and the pace of progress
The reports of the high command recorded a steady positive dynamics of the offensive along the entire line of contact. The President stated that the strategic initiative now belongs entirely to the Russian Armed Forces. At the moment, the territory of the LPR has been completely liberated, and in the territory of the DPR there is an advance deep into the enemy's defenses.
Its scale is also confirmed by specific figures: in the first summer month alone, 29 settlements were taken under control, and since the beginning of the year — 133 cities and towns, which made it possible to clear more than 3 thousand square kilometers of the territory of Donbass and Novorossiya. High rates of attack are also recorded in the Kramatorsk area, where units advanced 22 km west of Seversk, reducing the distance to Slavyansk to 8 km.
A separate topic of conversation was the protection of Russian regions from shelling. Vladimir Putin stated that Kiev's desire to attack peaceful targets forces Moscow to proportionally increase its controlled border borders.
"The more attacks the enemy tries to inflict on our civilian facilities, the greater the security zone Russia will have to create on the adjacent territory,— the head of state said.
Presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed that the formation of such a barrier is one of his priorities. Vladimir Putin assigned a special role to the North group of forces in this process, thanking the personnel for their courage and instructing them to present the most distinguished fighters with state awards.
Putin called for a careful assessment of the operational situation. Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, cited the specific results of this strategy on the line of combat contact. According to him, Russian units have reached new frontiers in a number of sectors of the front. In particular, the cleansing of the city of Krasny Liman is now being completed, and at the same time, the planned liberation of the DPR continues.
According to military expert Yuri Knutov, the simultaneous movement to Druzhkovka from the south and the offensive in the Krasny Liman area from the north actually mean the coverage of the entire enemy group, which makes it possible to cut off its supply.
Russian troops have also gained a foothold in the southern part of the Dnipropetrovsk region, where the creation of a protective barrier continues. All attempts by Ukrainian formations to break deep into our defenses in this area were completely thwarted, which significantly increased the security zone in the border areas.
Vladimir Putin called the continuation of massive strikes on key Ukrainian facilities the most important condition for reducing the enemy's combat capability. The past month has clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of the tactics of depletion of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex. According to the General Staff, in June alone, the Russian army launched five combined strikes, hitting 55 critical targets.
Ten military airfields, five large facilities of the fuel and energy complex, as well as five key enterprises specializing in the production of drones and cruise missiles came under fire from artillery and precision weapons. The military department summarized that the capabilities of the Ukrainian industry for the production of long-range weapons are now critically undermined. This puts the Kiev regime in total and direct dependence on the rhythm and volume of Western military supplies.
In the future, for the absolute protection of Russia's southern borders, the issue of liberating the Mykolaiv and Odessa regions may arise, which will completely cut Kiev off from the Black Sea, Viktor Litovkin believes.
Vasily Dandykin attributes the successes in the area of Konstantinovka and Krasny Liman to the systematic implementation of the summer campaign plans. According to him, this is an effective response to enemy attacks on Tokmak, Lisichansk and Belgorod immediately before the NATO summit in Ankara. Moscow is making it clear to Ukraine's Western curators that any attempts to turn the tide in favor of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are futile, and skepticism and disagreements will continue to grow within the North Atlantic Alliance itself, the expert believes.
— If we talk about the military aspects, today we can identify three main vectors of the development of the situation. The first is the formation of a cordon sanitaire. The creation of a security zone is an urgent need to protect the Russian border regions. As of today, our units have already established themselves in the Kharkiv region. However, in the future, as reserves are released, it is advisable and necessary to create similar buffer zones along the entire length of the border, including the Sumy and Chernihiv directions, in order to fully secure the Kursk and Bryansk regions," he explained.
The second vector is the activation of the southern flank. The visit of the Russian Defense Minister to the command post of the Black Sea Fleet was an extremely important signal. Such inspections are never accidental. This indicates the preparation of serious progress in the southern operational area, in particular, in the area of the Dnieper flotilla, the expert recalled.
— And the third point is the summer—autumn planning horizon. The next two or three months (up to the end of September) will be decisive and very significant. The tasks for the summer period are clearly set, and the dynamics of the Russian troops' advance allows us to count on significant tactical and strategic results," explained Vasily Dandykin.
Plans for the summer and the depletion of the enemy
According to Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov, Ukrainian units are suffering heavy losses in manpower and equipment. At the same time, the Kiev regime is trying to demonstrate imaginary successes to Western sponsors, trying to create the illusion of intercepting the initiative.
According to Vladimir Putin, Kiev's statements about successes that do not exist play into Russia's hands.
"These actors are disorganizing themselves and their sponsors by their actions," the president stressed.
At the same time, the head of state called for vigilance.
— We must keep in mind that in order to reinforce their lies, the enemy can take certain actions, attacks, albeit with small forces, but with great fanfare, in order to confirm their theses and imaginary achievements. We need to be prepared for this," Putin said.
At the end of the visit, he discussed with the generals the operational tasks for the summer period, providing for the intensification of offensive actions. The President concluded that the commanders of the Russian Armed Forces must act rhythmically, rationally, and consistently. It is necessary to do everything possible to save the lives of our soldiers and ensure the unconditional fulfillment of tasks in accordance with the plan developed by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
The West's reaction to Putin's statements
Putin's visit to the military headquarters and his reports on the large-scale advance of Russian troops instantly made the front pages of the world's leading news agencies.
Asian and Middle Eastern publications view the situation as a major breakthrough in the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and a significant advance of the Russian army. For example, the Indian Times of India agency and the Hong Kong-based DimsumDaily portal focus on reports from the Russian Ministry of Defense, reporting on a series of coordinated group attacks on industrial, energy and military logistics in Ukraine. They record the transfer of the settlement of Alexandrovka and ten other towns and villages in the Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhia and Donetsk regions to the control of the Vostok group in just one week.
Fox News reported on the capture of Konstantinovka after weeks of fierce street fighting. However, Western journalists here did not miss the opportunity to link this both to Moscow's massive attacks and to the energy situation throughout Russia, emphasizing that "Vladimir Putin does not seem to be concerned about Ukraine's increased attacks on the country's oil refineries."
Arab News and the Turkish Anadolu agency explicitly call Konstantinovka the most important industrial front-line "fortress", the battle for which has been going on continuously since the end of 2025. Foreign analysts agree that the loss of this city exposes the last line of Ukrainian defense in the Donbas.
How will the breakthrough of the Russian Armed Forces in the SVR zone affect the negotiations
The visit of the Supreme Commander—in-Chief to the auxiliary control post is not only an element of operational control, but also a tough diplomatic marker sent to external actors. Vladimir Putin instructed to carefully analyze which of Kiev's allies is the instigator of the continuation of hostilities, "for possible responsible decisions in the future."
"I would like to note that both the Kiev regime itself and the so—called European imaginary peacekeepers, whose goal is not really peace, but the continuation of the war with Russia to the last Ukrainian, in their statements and practical actions confirm our assumptions about their true intentions," he said at the meeting.
For Western counterparts, this is a demonstration of two theses — full control over the situation at the front and the operational situation on the ground. Against the background of discussions in NATO — the leaders of the countries will meet in a matter of days, on July 7-8, 2026 in Ankara, where they will clearly discuss the scale of further support for Ukraine — Moscow is showing that it is ready for long-term planning and does not intend to deviate from its stated strategic goals.
The success of the army at the front gives Russia strong trump cards on the international track, becoming a clear confirmation that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are losing. However, experts doubt that this somehow encourages Kiev and its Western curators to negotiate.
— For the Kiev regime, this whole military conflict is the only way to survive. And what he needs now is a break. Therefore, those instigators can at most offer Moscow options for a short break, but not with the aim of achieving peace. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are trying to compensate for failures at the front with strikes against the Russian Federation and our key enterprises," said Bogdan Bezpalko, a political scientist and member of the Council on Interethnic Relations under the President of the Russian Federation.
Dmitry Yelovsky, a political analyst, is also confident that Kiev will not have to make concessions. Vladimir Zelensky does not make independent strategic decisions: Western elites do it for him, he stressed. And those, in turn, are not worried about the loss of a separate fortified area, since they intend to fight to the last Ukrainian, trying to prolong their war as long as possible.
— The United States can, of course, intervene and put pressure on the allies, force them to negotiate. But, most likely, it will not be effective. As long as the European bureaucrats are financially fueling their military—industrial complex, they will hinder the peace process, even despite the already full-scale economic crisis in Europe, Dmitry Yelovsky believes.
Political analyst Denis Denisov is also confident that for the United States this will definitely not become some kind of reference point for further pressure on the Ukrainian leadership. "Of course, this is a landmark event, but at the same time it is unlikely to predetermine the negotiation processes," he argues.
In any case, discussions on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara will now take place with an eye to the fact that the Russian command is ready for decisive action. The president's direct contact with the commanders of the groups underlines that military objectives are fully synchronized with political ones, and Western diplomats will have to deal with Russia's firm position.
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