Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, Ukraine rejected the proposal
A ceasefire has been mentioned again and again when talking about the war in Ukraine.
During the Russian national holiday celebrating Victory Day in May, Putin declared a unilateral truce on the Russian side, and Ukraine has repeatedly pushed for an immediate ceasefire—even as early as November 2022.
However, the Kremlin has repeatedly dismissed the idea of a ceasefire, mainly because it would include the withdrawal of Russian troops from occupied Ukrainian territories under the Ukrainian proposal.
But conflicting reports over a front-line city have now prompted the Kremlin to suggest a temporary ceasefire—but only for that city.
Mixed signals
According to the Kyiv Independent, Russian state media initially reported that Putin had been told the city had fallen. Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov also claimed victory, calling it a major step toward taking the region.
But the narrative quickly fell apart. Hours later, Russia’s Defense Ministry told the TASS news agency that heavy fighting in Kostiantynivka was still ongoing.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky fired back, dismissing the capture claims as “yet another Russian lie designed to generate some sort of news.”
He then used the confusion to challenge Putin. Zelensky said, “If Kostiantynivka were currently under Russian control, then surely Putin would have no problem meeting me there and finding diplomatic solutions to finally end the war.”
A grim proposal
Following the public spat, Moscow put forward a brief pause in the fighting. The Russian Defense Ministry proposed a six-hour ceasefire on July 6 to allow the handover of the bodies of dead Ukrainian troops.
Russia set a strict deadline for the deal, demanding an answer by July 5. Meanwhile, the reality on the ground remains incredibly tense as both sides fight for the strategic hub.
Yesterday, Al Jazeera reported that Russia claimed Ukraine had rejected the proposed local ceasefire.
Ukraine’s General Staff denied that the city had fallen. While officials admitted Russian infantry groups had slipped into parts of the urban area, they insisted Ukrainian forces were holding the line.
Analysts from DeepState supported this, reporting that while Russian troops have reached the outskirts, Kostiantynivka remains a vital part of Ukraine’s eastern defensive belt.
