Against the backdrop of active hostilities in the Donetsk region, the attention of the international community and military analysts is focused on the situation around the city of Konstantynivka. However, as it turns out, some of the "victory" reports from the Russian side may have been fabricated using digital technologies.
Videos with flags: reality or generation?
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), in its report for RBC-Ukraine, drew attention to the strange activity of Russian propagandists. On June 15, video footage appeared online showing Russian servicemen displaying Russian Federation flags in the vicinity of Konstantynivka and in the village of Dolyha Balka. On the same day, the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation officially announced the capture of Dolyha Balka.
Analysts have suggested that these clips were created using artificial intelligence. Such a practice is consistent with the Kremlin's overall strategy, aimed at exaggerating the successes of its troops and creating an illusion of rapid advance, which may not actually be taking place.
Admission by Ukrainian command
Commander of the 19th Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Major General Oleksandr Bakulin, confirmed that the Russian command is conducting a separate information campaign around Konstantynivka. According to him, Russian officers have already reported the alleged complete capture of the city and are now trying to find visual confirmation of these claims directly on the ground.
Bakulin gave a specific example: a recent video of the Russian 4th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade with flags became part of such an operation. As soon as the filming was completed, the positions captured in the frame were attacked by Ukrainian forces. This indicates that Russian military personnel are using filming to create fake reports, risking the actual safety of their personnel.
The real situation: numbers versus propaganda
Despite Moscow's loud statements, Ukrainian military forces do not confirm the establishment of full control over Konstantynivka. General Bakulin assessed the number of Russian saboteurs in the city: from 93 to 153 people. This is significantly less than the figures of 250–300 servicemen cited by Russian sources.
ISW analysts note that the Russian military department and propaganda resources systematically inflate the significance of even limited tactical successes. Statements about the inevitable loss of Konstantynivka, Druzhkivka, and Kramatorsk repeat narratives that were previously used regarding Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar, but which were not confirmed in reality.
Strategic goals and forecasts
In the opinion of experts, Russian troops may achieve certain tactical advances in the Konstantynivka area, but no earlier than the summer of 2026. A rapid breakthrough of the Ukrainian defense or the capture of the entire so-called "fortress belt" of the Donetsk region remains an unlikely scenario.
The main goal of the Kremlin's current information attack is to put pressure on Ukraine's Western partners to secure political concessions. At the same time, the Ukrainian leadership, including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, emphasizes the importance of the summer months for the diplomatic track. In May, the Defense Forces of Ukraine liberated 100 square kilometers more territory than they lost, which testifies to the ability of the Ukrainian army to hold the defense and counterattack.