Russia announced on Friday, July 3, that it had captured the town of Kostadinyuka in eastern Ukraine, a strategic point on the road to the last major cities in the Donbas region under Kiev’s control.
“Kostadinyuka has been completely captured. The town is now completely under our control,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, including AFP, saying President Vladimir Putin had discussed the matter with the military.
When Moscow considers that an area has been “locked” operationally, it proceeds with top-level confirmation.
At the same time, the move is interpreted as an indication of an intention to stabilize and further advance on this particular front, aiming to strengthen the image of territorial gains at home and abroad, in a period when Russia’s image and prestige have been shaken.
At the same time, the Russian president stressed the importance of capturing the city, while as he explained “now we will move in the direction of Slavyansk-Kramatorsk and also to Druzhovka.”
