Russian Forces Advance Towards Kostiantynivka

Russian troops are advancing towards Kostiantynivka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, attempting to establish a foothold near the heavily fortified city. Ukraine's army chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported on Saturday, May 2, 2026, that Russian forces are employing infiltration tactics to gain ground on the city's outskirts, with Ukrainian counter-sabotage measures underway.

According to the DeepState battlefield mapping project, Russian troops control an area approximately one kilometer (0.6 mile) from Kostiantynivka's southern outskirts. Small sections in the southeast of the city are designated as a grey zone, indicating contested control. Russia's defense ministry previously stated on Wednesday that its forces had taken control of Novodmytrivka, located north of Kostiantynivka.

Syrskyi noted a significant increase in Russian offensive attempts during April, with 83 assaults conducted by small infantry groups in this sector since Monday. Russia continues to demand Ukraine withdraw from areas in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions that it has not yet captured, a point of contention that has stalled U.S.-brokered peace talks. Ukrainian officials maintain that Kyiv will not cede controlled territory.