Russia has declared that its armed forces have gained complete control over Konstantinovka in eastern Ukraine. This city, situated in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, is a crucial stronghold. Russian President Vladimir Putin emphasized the strategic importance of capturing Konstantinovka, a key transportation hub and industrial center in Donbas. Since the beginning of 2026, Russian forces have secured 133 settlements and over 3,000 square km in Donbas and Novorossiya.
Following the city’s capture, Putin highlighted the need to protect civilian facilities in Russia from Ukrainian strikes. He emphasized the establishment of a security buffer zone in response to any attempts to target these facilities. Additionally, Putin announced the “full liberation” of the Luhansk People’s Republic by Russian forces. Units and formations of the combined joint force group are executing their missions based on the operational plan devised by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
The process of eliminating Ukrainian military formations is ongoing in the territories of the Donetsk People’s Republic, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, according to Putin. Meanwhile, Moscow’s air defense forces have intercepted and downed 28 drones targeting the city since the start of Friday. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin reported that eight additional drones were shot down on Friday night, with emergency service crews responding to the debris sites.
