Russia claimed that its armed forces had taken full control of the city of Konstantinovka in eastern Ukraine
MOSCOW — Russia claimed that its armed forces had taken full control of the city of Konstantinovka in eastern Ukraine.
"The main news is that Konstantinovka has been completely taken," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying on Friday.
Konstantinovka is a key stronghold located in Ukraine's Donetsk region, reports Xinhua news agency.
Following the announcement, Russian President Vladimir Putin said the capture of Konstantinovka "carries great strategic significance," while visiting one of the temporary command posts of the joint force grouping on Friday.
"As we all know, the city is a key transportation hub and a major industrial center of Donbas," Putin said, adding that Russian forces have taken control of 133 settlements and more than 3,000 square km across Donbas and Novorossiya since the start of 2026.
The more Ukraine attempts to strike civilian facilities in Russia, the more Russia must do to protect those facilities and its civilians, Putin noted, adding that "the more such attempts the enemy makes, the larger the security buffer zone we will have to establish in the adjacent territory."
Putin also announced that Russian forces have completed the "full liberation" of the Luhansk People's Republic.
"I note that units and formations of the combined joint force group are fulfilling their missions in accordance with the operational plan devised by the General Staff of the Armed Forces (of the Russian Federation). The full liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic has been recently completed," Putin said during a meeting held at one of the temporary command posts of the combined joint force group.
The elimination of Ukrainian military formations continues across the territories of the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, Putin added.
Meanwhile, Russian air defense forces have shot down 28 drones targeting Moscow since the beginning of Friday, according to updates from Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin.
In his latest update, the mayor said on social media that eight more drones heading toward the Russian capital were shot down on Friday night.
"Emergency service crews are working at the debris site," Sobyanin said.