Battle for Kostiantynivka ends before it starts as biggest Russian depots erupt overnight

The fighting around Kostiantynivka is entering a decisive phase as both sides prepare for what could shape the balance of power in the central Donetsk front. For Russia, success here would open a pathway toward deeper operational maneuver, while failure would lock its forces into another costly stalemate under Ukrainian fire control. Moscow has increasingly relied on large, logistics-heavy offensives to compensate for declining maneuver flexibility and mounting manpower strain. Ukraine, by contrast, has focused on preempting these efforts by attacking the systems that make such offensives possible rather than waiting for direct contact. This clash of approaches means that battles are now often decided before massed assaults even begin. In this environment, control over ammunition flow and operational tempo has become more decisive than territorial gains themselves.

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