Putin says Russian forces complete control of Luhansk, take key Donetsk city

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that Russian forces have completed the "full liberation" of the Luhansk People's Republic and taken full control of the city of Konstantinovka in eastern Ukraine.

"I note that units and formations of the combined joint force group are fulfilling their missions in accordance with the operational plan devised by the General Staff of the Armed Forces (of the Russian Federation). The full liberation of the Luhansk People's Republic has been recently completed," Putin said during a meeting held at one of the temporary command posts of the combined joint force group.

He added that the elimination of Ukrainian military formations continues across the territories of the Donetsk People's Republic, as well as the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions.

At a separate briefing later Friday, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russian forces had also taken full control of Konstantinovka, a key stronghold in Ukraine's Donetsk region.

Putin described the capture of Konstantinovka as carrying "great strategic significance."

"As we all know, the city is a key transportation hub and a major industrial center of Donbas," Putin said, adding that Russian forces have taken control of 133 settlements and more than 3,000 square kilometers across Donbas and Novorossiya since the start of 2026.

(With input from Xinhua)