Russia is grinding its way into Kostiantynivka, a key stronghold in Ukraine’s eastern ‘fortress belt’ long coveted by the Kremlin, even as its gains across the rest of the 1,200-km front line have largely stalled.
Ukrainian Forces Resist Russian Advances
Fighting has begun to seep into the city itself. Small groups of Russian soldiers are attempting to infiltrate its outskirts, senior Ukrainian commanders said last week, suggesting close-quarters assaults could follow.
Kostiantynivka is the southernmost of four key settlements forming a defensive line central to Ukraine’s effort to hold the heavily industrialised Donetsk region.
The push towards it underscores Moscow’s enduring manpower advantage, even as Ukrainian mid-range drone strikes on logistics have weakened its fighting capabilities, analysts said.
Civilian Life Collapsing Under Pressure
Civilian life nearby is collapsing under the pressure. In Druzhkivka, around 12 km north, residents are being forced to leave as the fighting edges closer.
On one leafy street, a husband and wife were slumped, dead, inside a van struck by a Russian drone. White ribbons, meant to mark the vehicle as civilian, still fluttered on its roof.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
