Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has issued a public invitation to Russian head of state Vladimir Putin to meet in Kostyantynivka, in response to Moscow's claims that the city is "occupied" by the Russian army. With this, Zelenskyy challenged the military successes claimed by Putin and cast doubt on the real situation at the front.
Zelenskyy: "Let Putin come to Kostyantynivka if he really controls it"
In an attempt to report progress on the battlefield, Putin appeared once again in military uniform and boasted of the "occupation" of Kostyantynivka in the Donetsk region. Zelenskyy reacted sharply, directly questioning these claims in a post on the social network "X".
"If Kostyantynivka really is under Russia's control now, then Putin will have no problem meeting me there so we can find a diplomatic solution to finally put an end to this war," wrote Zelenskyy, turning Russian claims of control into a challenge for an in-person meeting.
Accusations against Putin of lying about the front for the sake of the US
In the same post, the Ukrainian president accused Putin of trying to "deceive the world" and specifically the American president regarding the real situation on the front. Zelenskyy linked Moscow's statements to the upcoming US Independence Day celebrations.
"We are now on the eve of America's Independence Day. Putin has clearly decided to lie to the world and the US president about the situation on the front, and that is why he claims that Russian troops have allegedly captured Kostyantynivka in the Donbas. This, of course, is a lie, just another Russian lie, to produce at least some news," the Ukrainian president wrote.
The Ukrainian General Staff: Kostyantynivka is under Ukrainian control
The Ukrainian General Staff also refuted Putin's claims. According to the military, the city remains under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), and Ukrainian units continue to hold positions both in Kostyantynivka itself and in the surrounding settlements.
Kostyantynivka is one of the last major cities in the Donetsk region that is still under Ukrainian control. Russia has already seized over "80%" of this eastern Ukrainian region, which makes every remaining Ukrainian stronghold key for Kyiv's defense and political messaging.
Night drone attack on Saint Petersburg and the Leningrad Region
While the dispute over Kostyantynivka moves to social media, on the ground, Ukraine continues its strikes on Russian territory. On the night into Saturday, Russia's second-largest city – Saint Petersburg – and surrounding areas in the Leningrad region were subjected to a massive drone attack.
Saint Petersburg Governor Alexander Beglov stated that the city of "6 million residents" had been subjected to a "large-scale" attack. According to him, the city's "oil terminal" was hit, but there were no fatalities and the damage caused was quickly repaired.
Strike on the Vysotsk port and dozens of downed drones
Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko reported that drones had hit the "Vysotsk" port, located about "170 kilometers" northwest of Saint Petersburg, on the Baltic Sea. The port handles oil, grain, coal, and liquefied natural gas, making it an important element of Russian export infrastructure.
Drozdenko stated that "72 drones" had been shot down over the Leningrad region, which indicates the scale of the attack and the efforts of Russian air defense to limit the damage.
Zelenskyy: Oil infrastructure and military targets, including Kronstadt, were attacked
Volodymyr Zelenskyy commented on the strikes in a post on "Telegram," emphasizing that the Ukrainian army targets infrastructure directly linked to Russia's war machine.
"Ukrainian defense forces hit port oil infrastructure that generates revenue for Russia's war, and also hit Kronstadt, an important military target more than 850 kilometers (528 miles) from Ukraine's state border," Zelenskyy wrote.
From the Russian side, however, no information was published about a new strike on "Kronstadt" – a large naval base near Saint Petersburg, which Ukraine had already attacked in June during a previous operation against the city.
Series of Ukrainian strikes on Russian infrastructure and casualties in regions
This year, Ukraine has significantly intensified strikes on Russian energy infrastructure, which, according to analysis, has contributed to fuel shortages in some parts of Russia. The goal is to weaken the logistics and financing of Russian military operations by attacking oil terminals, refineries, and ports.
Ukraine also launched new strikes in other Russian regions. The governor of the "Bryansk region," as well as a Russian-appointed governor of "Crimea," reported that drone attacks had caused the deaths of "one person" in each of the regions, with several others injured.
South of Saint Petersburg, the governor of the "Pskov region" stated that "over 30 drones" were shot down overnight. He reported "minor damage" and injuries, including at a factory in the city of "Velikiye Luki."
Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities: dozens of civilian casualties
While Ukrainian attacks are focused primarily on Russia's military and energy infrastructure, the Russian army continues to attack Ukrainian cities with bombs, drones, and missiles. Among the targets are "Sumy, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Kharkiv."
According to the latest data from Ukrainian authorities, these strikes have resulted in "10 civilian deaths" and "more than 70 injuries," among whom are children. This underscores that despite diplomatic messaging and symbolic gestures, the war remains in full force – both on the front line and deep within both states.