Ukraine on Saturday denied Moscow's claims that Russian forces had taken control of the town of Kostiantynivka in the industrial Donbas region of eastern Ukraine.

The morning report of the Ukrainian General Staff stated that fighting continues in the town, which had a population of about 67,000. Clashes also continue in villages located closer to Russian positions, including Ivanopillya.

Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced yesterday evening, during his visit to a military command center, that the Russian army had fully taken control of Kostiantynivka. However, Ukrainian military blogs, such as 'Deep State,' still indicate that only parts of the town are under Russian occupation, while Russian military bloggers have not yet declared Moscow's forces in control of the entire town.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky denied the veracity of this announcement, describing it as 'another Russian lie to create news,' during a phone call with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, according to a statement from Zelensky's office.

Zelensky invited Putin to meet him in Kostiantynivka.

He said: 'If Kostiantynivka were indeed under Russian control, Putin would have no problem meeting me there and seeking diplomatic solutions to finally end the war. But he will not cross the front line. The truth is completely different from what Putin says.'

American Institute for the Study of War: Putin Needs Positive News

The American Institute for the Study of War said Russian forces had made field gains in Kostiantynivka in recent weeks. However, it clarified that the Russian presence inside the town is mainly limited to small assault groups moving between Ukrainian positions.

The Russian president appeared in military uniform for the first time in a long while during his visit to the command center. Announcing field successes remains important for Putin amid the fuel crisis in Russia resulting from Ukrainian drone attacks, which have contributed to rising public discontent.

Establishing full control over the Donbas region, which is the industrial heartland and coal mining center of Ukraine, is one of Putin's declared war goals. If Kostiantynivka falls, only Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkivka will remain under Ukrainian control among the major cities in Donetsk region.