NEW: Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed late on July 3 that Russian forces seized Kostyantynivka, contrary to all available evidence of the true extent of Russian advances in the city. 🧵(1/3)
Russian forces have achieved tactical gains within Kostyantynivka in recent weeks, but the bulk of the Russian presence in the city is comprised of small groups of infiltrators interspersed with Ukrainian positions.
Putin likely staged the meeting with his commanders late on July 3 at least in part to influence Western media coverage of the war into the weekend, particularly the July 4 holiday in the United States. Putin and the Russian Ministry of Defense are already trying to capitalize on the informational victory of the claimed seizure of Kostyantynivka and will likely continue to do so in the coming days and weeks.
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