Putin visited the control center and heard a report on the liberation of Konstantinovka.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the auxiliary command post of the joint forces group, where he held a meeting with the leadership of the General Staff and unit commanders. During the visit, the head of state was informed about the liberation of the strategically important city of Konstantinovka, which is a key defense hub of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk area.
In total, since the beginning of 2026, 133 settlements have been liberated and more than 3 thousand square kilometers in Donbass and Novorossiya have been taken under control. The President separately noted how the Kiev regime compensates for failures on the real front with information and propaganda operations.
"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," the president stressed.
The Supreme Commander-in-Chief stressed that one must be prepared for the diversions that the enemy may take in order to somehow back up their false statements.
In addition, the Zapad group of troops is advancing in the Kharkiv region, in the Kupyansk direction and in the DPR, completing the liberation of Krasny Liman. The Vostok group of troops is in the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhia regions, the Center group of troops is advancing in the area of Krasnoarmeysk, and the Dnepr group of troops is already 9 km from Zaporizhia. The southern group of troops is biting into the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk fortified area.
"Recently, the liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic has been fully completed, the destruction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of the DPR, Zaporizhia and Kherson regions continues. <...> Enemy units are trying to hold their positions, but they are retreating with heavy losses under the onslaught of our troops," Putin said.
Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, First Deputy Minister of Defense Valery Gerasimov, in turn, reported that the group's troops had liberated the city of Konstantinovka, which is one of the main enemy defense sites within the borders of the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk-Konstantinovsky fortified areas.
"The capture of Konstantinovka is only the first, but a very important stage in the destruction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine formations that are currently holding the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk-Konstantinovsky fortified area, as you said, where the enemy has built a deep layered system of fortifications," Putin recalled.
Anton Grunis, commander of the 4th separate motorized Rifle brigade, said that the units infiltrated in small groups, accumulated behind enemy lines and, bypassing the city, were able to overcome defensive positions and block part of the AFU forces.
"Among our people, those who are lucky are lucky. You and your fighters are doing it properly and professionally," Putin replied.
The commander of the assault unit of the 4th brigade, Lieutenant Eldar Kukonbekov, reported that the personnel were continuing to clear the city of remnants of Ukrainian militants. He assured Putin that all the tasks set would be completed. The President thanked the fighters for their work and urged them to take care of themselves.
The Russian leader also instructed to pay special attention to the evacuation of civilians from the war zone. According to him, the liberation of Konstantinovka opens a direct road for further advance to Kramatorsk, Slavyansk and other fortified areas of Donbass.
"The bravura statements of the leaders of the Kiev regime about the successes, which, in fact, we know, are not, in principle, to our advantage, because these actors, and they really can't do anything else, they weren't taught anything else, but by their actions and statements they certainly disorganize themselves, and their sponsors," the Russian leader recalled.
In addition, Putin noted the importance of expanding the security zone near the Russian borders in order to reveal the plans of the Ukrainian command in a timely manner. He also stressed the need to analyze the involvement of each instigator to continue the war in order to make responsible decisions in the future.
Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People's Republic has completely come under the control of Russian troops. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Konstantinovka is an important settlement that the Ukrainian forces have turned into a large fortified area. He noted that, despite this, the city was completely liberated thanks to the heroism of the Russian fighters.
Putin said on the same day that the capture of Konstantinovka by the Russian Armed Forces was an important stage in the destruction of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk fortified area.
