Brutal battle for Kostyantynivka: Russia intensifies attacks in Donbas as Putin seeks a victory

The eastern Ukrainian city of Kostyantynivka is the scene of a brutal, house-by-house struggle between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Social media videos depict flags being raised and then lowered as control of the city shifts, with the bodies of soldiers and civilians littering the streets. The city, once home to 70,000 people, is now a ghost town of scorched facades, collapsed buildings, and torn asphalt. Evacuation teams are no longer operating, forcing the last remaining residents to flee on foot, often under attack from Russian drones or used as human shields.

Control of Kostyantynivka remains contested. In early July, Russia's top general, Valery Gerasimov, claimed the city had fallen, but Ukraine's General Staff dismissed this as propaganda, presenting videos as proof of their continued presence. The battle is about more than just capturing a city; it is seen as a gateway for Russia to conquer the entire Donbas region. North of Kostyantynivka lie the twin cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, which form the Donbas fortress belt. Capturing these cities was declared a minimal war aim by Putin.

Russia intensified its attacks this summer with ballistic missiles, glide bombs, and drones, inflicting maximum destruction for minimal territorial gains. Kramatorsk has also endured devastating attacks. The article suggests Putin urgently needs a success in Ukraine, making the capture of Kostyantynivka a critical objective. The fighting highlights the immense human cost and destruction of the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.