Russia Accuses Ukraine of Rejecting Ceasefire in Kostiantynivka Conflict

Russia claims its forces have captured the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk, a claim denied by Ukraine.

Published On 5 Jul 20265 Jul 2026

Russia’s Defence Ministry accuses Ukraine of rejecting a halt to shelling in the eastern city of Kostiantynivka, thereby preventing Moscow from retrieving fallen Ukrainian soldiers’ bodies.

On Sunday, the ministry announced it had proposed a six‑hour ceasefire in and around Kostiantynivka for Monday to aid the handover, giving Kyiv until 0900 GMT that day to reply.

This claim is the latest exchange in the ongoing dispute over Kostiantynivka. Russia announced on Friday that its forces had taken control of the city, a key objective in its advance through Donetsk.

Ukraine denies the city has fallen, asserting its forces continue to hold it.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told X that the claim was false, calling it “another Russian lie designed to generate a headline.” He added that if Kostiantynivka were indeed under Russian control, Putin might be willing to meet him there in pursuit of a diplomatic solution to end the war.

On Russian radio, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov mocked Zelensky’s suggestion, asserting Kostiantynivka was already Russian territory and reaffirming the Kremlin асс inviting Zelensky to meet Putin in Moscow.

Last month Zelensky wrote to Putin requesting face‑to‑face talks as a step toward peace, but he has consistently declined any meetings in the Russian capital.

Elsewhere, Russian officials reported one death and two injuries in a Ukrainian attack on Russian‑occupied Crimea early Sunday. Crimea’s Kremlin‑appointed governor, Sergei Aksyonov, said on Telegram that details were withheld.

Trump made an offer, according to Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov, to help Putin find a solution during aяда‑hour phone call on Saturday ahead of the NATO summit in Ankara. Zelensky also spoke with Trump that day, highlighting the 1,200‑km (745‑mile) front line사의.

“There is a real prospect to end this war and American resolve will be crucial,” he wrote on Telegram. He added that talks would continue at the NATO summit that week.

A senior U.S. official confirmed that Trump will meet Zelensky on Wednesday to discuss “how we can end the war.”

“The battlefield has clearly frozen over the last couple of months, and neither side is making much progress,” the official said. “The president feels a real sense of urgency to try to bring this to a stop.”

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