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On July 12, several notable moments in the history of News stand out. In 969, Olga of Kiev (born 890) passed away. In 1826, Alexander Afanasyev, Russian ethnographer and author (died 1871) was born. In 1844, Yevgeny Baratynsky, Russian philosopher and poet (born 1800) passed away. In 1886, Boris Grigoriev, Russian painter and illustrator (died 1939) was born. In 1920, Yul Brynner, Russian actor and dancer (died 1985) was born. In 1932, Alex Hassilev, French-born American folk singer and musician (died 2024) was born. In 1943, Massacres of Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army within the Reichskommissariat Ukraine (Volhynia) peak. In 1973, Konstantinos Kenteris, Greek runner was born. In 1994, Bartłomiej Kalinkowski, Polish footballer was born. In 1998, Panagiotis Kondylis, Greek philosopher and author (born 1943) passed away. Together, these milestones provide historical context for today's news news and ongoing narratives.
Russia says Kostiantynivka has fallen. Kyiv claims it still holds the city. Both are wrong.
In recent days, alongside reports of drone and missile strikes on cities, factories, and gas stations, the state of the front lines has suddenly become a major topic of discussion — apparently because Donald Trump has returned as a mediator in the negotiations. Vladimir Putin told him about the fighting in the ruins of Kostiantynivka, in Ukraine’s Donetsk region — a key city the Russian president claims his army now holds. Ukraine’s General Staff responded that Kostiantynivka remains under the control of Ukraine’s Armed Forces. To back up their claims, both sides released videos of their troops inside the city, some recorded by opposing troops on nearby streets. In reality, neither Moscow nor Kyiv is right: Russian forces haven’t captured Kostiantynivka outright, but Ukraine doesn’t control the city either, though its troops still hold positions there, including in the city center. And while the Kremlin jumped the gun with its announcement, the situation in Kostiantynivka and elsewhere in the Donbas continues to deteriorate slowly for Ukraine’s military.
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This article was published by Meduza.io, a source frequently categorized with a left bias based in Russia. Our narrative intelligence engine continuously monitors coverage from this outlet to track framing, bias, and rhetorical patterns. Our initial algorithmic scan of this specific piece did not flag high-confidence rhetorical techniques, suggesting a generally straightforward reporting style or neutral framing. By understanding the editorial perspective of Meduza.io, readers can better contextualize the information presented and compare it across our broader media matrix to find the real narrative.
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How other outlets are covering this story
Compare narratives across 6 related reports from 6 sources. Real Narrative News aggregates the coverage spectrum so you can see who emphasises what — bias tags reflect the outlet, not the story.
Coverage bias distribution
6 sources
Left 33%
Center 33%
Right 17%
South China Morning Post
· Jul 4, 2026
Zelensky denies Russia captured key Ukraine city, challenges Putin to meet him there
Ukraine still controls the strategically important eastern city of Kostiantynivka, President Volodymyr Zelensky and the General Staff said on Saturday, rejecting Russian claims that it has been captured. Russia’s military ignored Zelensky’s assertions, said it was mopping up remaining pockets of resistance and offered to exchange the remains of dead servicemen. Russian military commanders told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that Moscow’s forces had taken control of Kostiantynivka, a target...
Ya Libnan
· Jul 4, 2026
Zelenskiy calls Russia’s claim of capturing Kostiantynivka city, another lie offers to meet Putin there
KYIV- Ukraine still controls the strategically important eastern city of Kostiantynivka, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the General Staff said on Saturday, rejecting Russian claims that it has been captured. Russia’s military ignored Zelenskiy’s assertions, said it was mopping up remaining pockets of resistance and offered to exchange the remains of dead servicemen. Russian military commanders []
Intel Slava
· Jun 22, 2026
[Photo] 🇷🇺❌🇺🇦 — The battle for Donbass is entering its decisive phase, with Russian forces no [...]
— The battle for Donbass is entering its decisive phase, with Russian forces now approximately 10km from the outskirts of Slavyansk following the liberation of Konstantinovka. Capturing Slavyansk and Kramatorsk is described as the primary remaining objective of the Special Military Operation — their fall would effectively complete Russia’s stated goal of liberating the Donetsk People’s Republic and all of Donbass. Both cities hold significant strategic and symbolic weight — Ukraine granted them “Hero City” status on October 1, 2025, acknowledging their importance. Kiev is already preparing for a possible defeat — enterprises are reportedly being relocated from Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and Druzhkovka ahead of anticipated Russian advances.@IntelSlava
NDTV
· Jul 5, 2026
Zelesky Says Fight Continuing In Key Town That Kremlin Says It Seized
Moscow earlier this week announced it had taken the key eastern town of Kostyantynivka but Kyiv has denied that as a lie, saying that it is defending the town.
Al Jazeera English
· Jul 7, 2026
Russia claims capture of Kostiantynivka as battle for eastern Ukraine intensifies
Russia says its forces have captured the eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka after months of intense fighting. Ukraine has denied the claim, saying the battle for the strategic city is ongoing. Kostiantynivka is considered a key transport hub in Ukraine's Donetsk region. Military analysts say its capture could strengthen Russia's position for further advances toward the Ukrainian-held cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, as fighting continues across eastern Ukraine. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.io/AJEMobile #aljazeeraenglish #BreakingNews #aljazeeralivenews #aljazeeraenglish #Ukraine #Russia #Kostiantynivka #Donetsk #Donbas #UkraineWar #Putin #AlJazeera
Daily Finland
· Jul 5, 2026
Ukraine says Konstantinovka remains under control
Ukraine's General Staff on Saturday rejected Russia's statement that Russian forces had taken control of Konstantinovka in the Donetsk region, saying the city remains under Ukrainian control, reported Xinhua. Andriy Kovaliov, spokesman for the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said information claiming that Russian troops had captured Konstantinovka does not correspond to reality. Based on data from Ukraine's operational monitoring systems, Konstantinovka remains under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, he said, adding that Ukrainian units continue defensive operations in the city and on its outskirts. He said Russian forces are continuing their attempts to seize the city, with small infantry groups infiltrating deep into Ukrainian defensive positions. Ukrainian forces are conducting counter-sabotage operations in the city to detect and eliminate the infiltrating units. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Russian forces had taken control of Konstantinovka, describing its capture as a key step toward the liberation of the Donetsk region.
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Related coverage for "Russia says Kostiantynivka has fallen. Kyiv claims it still holds the city. Both are wrong.": South China Morning Post — Zelensky denies Russia captured key Ukraine city, challenges Putin to meet him there. Ya Libnan — Zelenskiy calls Russia’s claim of capturing Kostiantynivka city, another lie offers to meet Putin there. Intel Slava — [Photo] 🇷🇺❌🇺🇦 — The battle for Donbass is entering its decisive phase, with Russian forces no [...]. NDTV — Zelesky Says Fight Continuing In Key Town That Kremlin Says It Seized. Al Jazeera English — Russia claims capture of Kostiantynivka as battle for eastern Ukraine intensifies. Daily Finland — Ukraine says Konstantinovka remains under control