The situation in Kostyantynivka has deteriorated in recent days, with several Russian soldiers infiltrating the city center.
Despite a confirmed Ukrainian presence in southern Kostyantynivka and nearby towns such as Illinivka and Novodmytrivka, Russian forces managed to bypass these positions and enter high-rise and industrial areas of the city center, where they came under attack.
-> https://t.co/gQw2XHaVLT (example)
While it is not always possible to confirm the elimination of infiltrators, a stable Russian presence appears unlikely. The area remains a patchwork of Ukrainian control and contested zones. Limited data make an accurate assessment challenging at this time.
Russian control requires a permanent, continuous presence and the absence of Ukrainian forces. These conditions are not currently met. However, pro-Russian analysts are already depicting much of the city as under Russian control, disregarding the ongoing Ukrainian presence.
A similar pattern to the battles of Pokrovsk and Toretsk is likely, where large areas remained contested and Ukrainian forces held key positions, preventing Russian control for an extended period.
We will update the map this evening.
-> https://t.co/a52sLQdNzH