Vladimir Putin proposed organising a humanitarian mission in Kostyantynivka, following the model of the operation in Oleshky. According to him, around 400–500 civilians remain in the city, which is located in Donetsk Region.
The proposal was made before the Russian president’s meeting with US President’s special envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Putin said that the evacuation could be carried out by delegations led by Russian Ombudsman Yana Lantratova and Ukrainian Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets, with the process monitored by foreign journalists.
“If Kyiv believes that it controls the city, let it ensure security from its side,” Putin said.The Russian president claims that Russian forces control Kostyantynivka and are ready to clear the area of mines. His aide Yury Ushakov said the aim was to show “who actually controls Kostyantynivka”. According to him, the American negotiators supported the proposal.
The dispute over control of the city
Kostyantynivka is about 20 kilometres south of Kramatorsk. Before the war, its population was approximately 70,000. According to an analysis by Meduza, Russian forces seized most of the city in the summer of 2026, after months of bombardment and drone strikes.
Ukrainian authorities, however, maintain that the city has not been fully captured. Separate Ukrainian units remain on the northern and western outskirts, and are supplied by drones. Their task is to prevent Russian drone operators from being deployed in the destroyed areas, from where they could support an advance towards Kramatorsk.
If a ceasefire were declared and a humanitarian mission with journalists entered the city, the situation would appear to reflect full Russian control over it. According to the analysis, this could be one of the political aims of the proposal. There is no confirmed agreement on the mission or a set schedule for carrying it out.
Kyiv warns of possible military use
Dmytro Lytvyn, an adviser in the office of the Ukrainian president, expressed scepticism about the initiative. According to him, Russia could use the humanitarian operation as cover to reinforce and rotate its military units in Kostyantynivka.
Lytvyn referred to the operation in Oleshky. There, Russia and Ukraine agreed to a ceasefire regime for the evacuation of civilians and the delivery of humanitarian aid. During the evacuation, a Ukrainian drone filmed a Russian group of drone operators entering the city.
The situation in Kostyantynivka differs from that in Oleshky. In the latter case, Russian control over the city was complete, and both sides acknowledged the existence of a humanitarian catastrophe. There is no independent confirmation regarding Kostyantynivka that 400–500 civilians remain in the city or that it is on the brink of a similar catastrophe. It is only known that after capturing a large part of the city, Russian forces evacuated some of the remaining residents.
Sources: meduza.io