Russia Captures Bohodarivka as Forces Slip Into “Fortress Belt” Anchor Kostiantynivka
Russian forces have captured the village of Bohodarivka in Ukraine’s Donetsk region and are slipping into the southern anchor of Ukraine’s “fortress belt”, Kostiantynivka. Reuters and Euromaidan report Russian troops have begun infiltrating the city from the south, with Ukrainian commanders disputing Vladimir Putin’s claim it is nearly taken. The fortress belt — built up since 2014 — is the backbone of Ukraine’s defence in the east. The push is the most concentrated of the Russian summer offensive so far, even as advances elsewhere on the front have stalled. Ukraine’s deep-strike campaign on Russian oil infrastructure continues in response.
Kostiantynivka anchors the southern end of the Ukrainian fortress belt that runs north to Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. If Russia takes the city, the next major Ukrainian defensive position is hundreds of kilometres further west. Russian losses through this offensive have been heavy — Ukrainian estimates put them at over 50,000 troops in the past quarter. The G7 long-range capability commitment for Ukraine is being tested by the speed of the Russian push. Ukrainian deep strikes on Crimea, Russian oil refineries and ammunition depots remain the principal counter-pressure tool while the eastern defensive line holds.