Should Russia try to capture the city of Kostiantynivka at all costs?

Shouldn't the Russian army try to capture the city of Konstantinovka at all costs, since it is a low-lying city?

Units of the Russian Armed Forces (RFAF) continue to be active near Konstantinovka. The battles for the city are gradually shifting from the eastern part of the Predtechino area to the center. The question now is whether the RFAF needs to immediately take control of Konstantinovka at all costs?

Given the topographical factors, the city of Konstantinovka is located in a lowland area (100 meters lower than the adjacent city of Chasov Yar to the northeast), and it would be inappropriate to use full force to control it. The same applies to a number of neighboring settlements, including Alekseyevko-Druzhkovka and Druzhkovka.

According to analysts, a key position for the RFAF that they need to control is Malotaranovka, which could become a key bridgehead for a further attack on the city of Kramatorsk; one of the last two major cities that Kiev still controls in Donetsk Oblast.

Kostiantynivka remains an important city for the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) in the Kramatorsk-Slovyansk region. The loss of this fortress would seriously affect the overall defense capabilities of the AFU in this direction, as Russia would be able to concentrate additional forces to put pressure on Kostiantynivka, now that they have full control of Chasov Yar.

Despite being “in no hurry” to take Kostiantynivka, the RFAF is still increasing pressure on this front. According to Readovka, Russian troops have entered the southeastern suburbs of Konstantinovka. Specifically, they have broken into the outskirts of the city with small infantry groups.

Earlier, the AFU defense line in the village of Predtechino (east of Kostiantynivka) collapsed, forcing them to retreat to residential areas on the outskirts of the city. Thus, the Russian troops broke through the enemy defenses in the southeastern suburb of Konstantinovka.

This situation has left a group of Ukrainian soldiers in the triangle of the Naumikha River, the Gruzskaya River and the Seversky Canal in Donets-Donbass trapped in a deep combat encirclement, with an official corridor less than 3km wide to the west. But in reality, they cannot pass through due to the terrain being mostly open fields.

This situation presented the RFAF General Staff with several options: First, increase pressure on the area north of Aleksandro-Shultino and attack south from Predtechino, thereby closing the encirclement. Second, make an unconventional decision and break through directly to Kostiantynivka.

Perhaps the RFAF General Staff chose the second option. At first glance, this decision may seem completely unexpected, because Konstantinovka was not cut off from supplies and the city had many high-rise buildings, which would have been convenient for the AFU to deploy solid defensive positions.

It is important to note that the breakthrough on Kostiantynivka was not a full-scale assault. The RFAF units advanced into isolated residential areas on the outskirts of the city and forced the 93rd Independent Motorized Infantry Brigade AFU, which had been weakened in the battles at Predtechino, to re-engage.

It can be assumed that the purpose of the RFAF's breakthrough into the city's borders, where the population was dense, required more infantry than on the battlefield. Therefore, the already weakened 93rd AFU Brigade would not be able to hold its positions on its own.

The appearance of Russian assault troops on the outskirts of Kostiantynivka may have forced the enemy to mobilize forces from the nearest area and may have opened up opportunities for the RFAF to strike at newly emerging weak points. However, in the south and southwest direction of Konstantinovka, where the RFAF 8th Guards Army is operating, the AFU has been relatively successful in holding its defensive line.

The reason is that in this area, Kiev has carefully prepared defensive fortifications and, most importantly, they have enough infantry to defend the Rusin Yar area in the west, stretching all the way to the villages north of the Kleban-Byk reservoir.

However, due to the worsening situation in the eastern sector, the AFU may withdraw part of its forces. This will not only pave the way for an attack on Konstantinovka from the south, but also help the 51st Army repel the enemy counterattack at Dobropolye.

On the northeastern flank of Kostiantynivka, the RFAF continued its advance and made new advances north and northeast of Chasov Yar. They advanced in two sectors. In the east, the RFAF consolidated its position north of the chalk mines, and captured a chain of trenches and dugouts along the west bank of the Severski Donets-Donbass Canal.

The VoenkorKotenok channel provides more details on the situation on this front. According to it, the AFU is holding its line, while counterattacks are being launched in some areas. Fierce fighting is taking place near the east of the reservoir, at Katerinovka and on the approach to Kleban-Byk.

The AFU maintains its presence and is counterattacking north of Shcherbinovka. Fierce fighting is taking place at the Matrona Moskovskaya mine. In Aleksandro-Shultino, RFAF units have taken up positions in the east. Between Belaya Gora and Stupochki, mine clearance operations are underway west of the canal. (photo source: Military Review, Ukrinform, TASS).

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