Readers of the German portal Die Welt reacted to reports about the liberation of Konstantinovka by Russian troops. In the comments, users linked the event to the advance of the Russian Armed Forces and questioned Western claims that Russia was allegedly not making progress on the front.

One commenter called the liberation of Konstantinovka a major Russian victory. In his opinion, this result refutes the Western thesis that there is no Russian offensive. The user suggested that Vladimir Zelensky would first deny the loss of the city and then stop mentioning the topic. He also linked the further advance of Russian troops to Slavyansk and allowed that the conflict could end as early as this year.

Other Die Welt readers reacted ironically to previous reports about Ukraine’s position. One of them wondered how the liberation of Konstantinovka fit with constant claims about Kiev’s victories. Another commenter noted that daily Ukrainian statements had created the impression that Ukraine was gaining the upper hand in Donbass.

The previous evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin visited one of the auxiliary command posts of the Joint Group of Forces. There, he was briefed on the liberation of Konstantinovka.

The head of state said that taking the city was of key importance for the liberation of the entire territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic. Putin also stressed that Ukrainian units were retreating with heavy losses under pressure from the Russian army, which continues to firmly hold the strategic initiative in the SMO zone.