Russia pounds on the gates of Ukraine's 'fortress belt'
By Dan Peleschuk and Anatolii Stepanov, Reuters June 29, 2026 2:05 AM EDTU - updated 5 hours ago Kostiantynivka Summary [image from Wikipedia ] --Kremlin troops converge on Kostiantynivka --City anchors 'fortress belt' of key eastern cities --Russian gains come even as Kremlin's war machine strained KYIV / NEAR DRUZHKIVKA, Ukraine, June 29 (Reuters) - Russia is grinding its way into Kostiantynivka, a key stronghold in Ukraine's eastern "fortress belt" long coveted by the Kremlin, even as its gains across the rest of the 1,200-km front line have largely stalled. Fighting has begun to seep into the city itself. Small groups of Russian soldiers are attempting to infiltrate its outskirts, senior Ukrainian commanders said last week, suggesting close-quarters assaults could follow. Kostiantynivka is the southernmost of four key settlements forming a defensive line central to Ukraine's effort to hold the heavily industrialised Donetsk region. The push toward...