After the successful liberation of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Russian forces are likely to begin placing the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration into a fire pocket, according to military analyst and air defense forces historian Yury Knutov.

Knutov said the next stage of the advance should focus on bringing the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration under fire control. He did not suggest that the area would be liberated in the near future, but estimated that by the end of the summer there could be a prospect of encircling the entire agglomeration with fire.

According to him, the situation in Konstantinovka showed that wearing down the enemy takes at least 40 days. In the case of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, that process may take longer, since the area is a large agglomeration with significant reserves of supplies, food, ammunition, and other resources.

Knutov noted that only after Ukrainian forces have been exhausted would it be possible to speak about the beginning of the liberation of these territories. In his assessment, that stage could begin closer to the end of 2026.

Russian Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov reported to President Vladimir Putin on July 3 that Konstantinovka had been liberated. Active fighting for control of the city had continued since the autumn of 2025.