Commander of 19th Army Corps: Russia does not control any part of Kostiantynivka, there's only around 123 Russian troops in the city

According to estimates by the 19th Army Corps, around 123 Russian troops are likely to be present in the city of Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast.

Source: Brigadier General Oleksandr Bakulin, Commander of the 19th Army Corps, on air during the national joint 24/7 newscast on 15 June

Quote from Bakulin: "The situation in Kostiantynivka is not critical... I cannot say that this is an easy sector of the front line – nothing is simple for us. There are indeed many challenges. The enemy is not simple as well and determined to achieve its objectives. So yes, it is difficult, but the fight continues.

Officially, we are counting not on the outskirts but inside the city itself. I rely on reports from brigade intelligence and my own intelligence units. Based on what we objectively observe and assess through multiple intelligence channels, we estimate that there are currently approximately 123 enemy personnel in the city. In my personal opinion, that figure could vary by 20-30 troops, as there may be duplicate reports from different intelligence sources. Also, we may have missed some individuals or simply not seen them. Therefore, figures of 250 or, as some claim, up to 300 personnel, are, in my view, somewhat exaggerated. That said, I cannot state with absolute certainty that those figures are incorrect, because this is intelligence information, which is always presented as an estimate."

Details: Bakulin said the Russians have indeed employed their tactic of infiltrating in small groups, a method they had previously refined on the Pokrovsk front.

However, he stressed that the defence forces had learned from mistakes made during operations around Pokrovsk and that the situations in Pokrovsk and Kostiantynivka are not identical. Although the Russians continue to use infiltration tactics, Ukrainian forces are mounting a strong response.

Bakulin recalled that the Russians first established a noticeable presence in Kostiantynivka in November 2025. "At that time, around 50 enemy troops managed to infiltrate, although reports from various sources suggested there were as many as 200. We successfully dealt with that situation in November," the brigadier general said.

He added that the current problem emerged around six weeks ago. "We have not yet managed to fully stabilise the situation and clear the area to the extent that public concern about the presence of enemy forces in Kostiantynivka subsides. However, we are taking the necessary measures. To say that the enemy currently controls any part of Kostiantynivka would be premature and an exaggeration," Bakulin emphasised.

Background:

• An article by hromadske reported that at least 100 Russian troops had infiltrated Kostiantynivka in Donetsk Oblast, with Ukraine's defence forces detecting Russian personnel in the city centre.
• According to the publication, the situation in Kostiantynivka mirrors a scenario previously seen in Pokrovsk, where Russian forces infiltrated the city in an attempt to divide it into separate sectors and undermine organised defence efforts, leaving Ukrainian infantry at risk of encirclement.
• One of the officers interviewed by hromadske suggested that the actual number of Russian troops inside the city could be closer to 250, noting that it is difficult to accurately determine the size of the infiltrating Russian groups.

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