The Situation in Kostiantynivka
Brigadier General Oleksandr Bakulin, commander of the 19th Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has rejected claims that Ukrainian units are encircled near Kostiantynivka. Military personnel report a critical lack of manpower and a precarious situation in the city, which now lies in a gray zone. Russian forces continue to apply pressure on Kostiantynivka, employing tactics previously used during the battles for Pokrovsk, Bakhmut, and Avdiivka.
The primary objective of Russian troops is to bypass the city from the flanks, create a threat of encirclement, and cut off Ukrainian supply routes. Russian assault groups are actively advancing from the southern and eastern directions, establishing a presence on the northern outskirts of Kostiantynivka, near the exit toward Druzhkivka. Analysts from the DeepState project assess the prospects for defending the city as critical.
Acute Shortage of Personnel
Military sources report a severe deficit of personnel in the defense of Kostiantynivka.
“We already lack enough people even to hold what we control. Offensive operations are out of the question,” one soldier stated.Commanders sometimes fail to report lost positions out of fear of being ordered to retake them. The command is redeploying troops from other units, including rear positions, but replacements are arriving slower than units are sustaining losses.
“If we don’t change our approach, if we don’t start destroying their logistics and drone operators—they will keep advancing,” another serviceman noted.Urban combat makes this task even harder: 'They slip to the rear, and we have to exhaust all our strength to flush them out of cover and find them. In a city, it’s much more difficult,' emphasized a drone operator.
The entire Kostiantynivka area is currently a gray zone.
“Just because infantry has crossed half of Kostiantynivka doesn’t mean they control it. We are destroying them. That’s exactly what a gray zone is. You could say that today, all of Kostiantynivka is in such a zone,” one soldier commented.Fighting for the city continues, and its defense remains under severe enemy pressure.
The situation in Kostiantynivka illustrates the difficulty of conducting combat operations in an urban environment, where control of territory is a constant back-and-forth. The shortage of personnel and logistical challenges highlight the hurdles Ukrainian forces face. Success in these conditions depends not only on troop numbers but also on the effectiveness of strategy and tactics against an enemy that adapts to new circumstances. As such, the situation in Kostiantynivka could become a pivotal phase in the broader dynamics of the conflict.
In light of the ongoing military situation, it's important to understand the broader context of the threats facing Kostiantynivka. As Russian forces intensify their offensive from various directions, the challenges for Ukrainian defenses become increasingly complex. For an in-depth analysis of how these developments may impact the strategic landscape around Kostiantynivka, see our detailed report on the advancing Russian troops threatening the city from multiple fronts.