Russia claimed its forces captured the key eastern Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka yesterday.Chief of the General Staff General Valery Gerasimov described the city as "one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area".The Russian military had long deemed the capture of the city crucial to its advance through the Donetsk region.Kyiv, however, categorically denied that Russian forces had captured Kostiantynivka. "We deny ⁠this. These are more fake claims," the military said today.Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin said that targeted strikes on Ukraine's military-industrial complex "must continue", two days after his forces launched their largest aerial attack of the war on Kyiv.Missile and drone attacks on Ukraine continued overnight, leaving four people dead and 10 injured."I note that massive, coordinated strikes against the infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and the facilities supporting its operation must continue," Putin said.PinnedMass missile attacks on Ukraine 'must continue', Putin saysRussia "must continue" its large-scale missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian cities, president Vladimir Putin said yesterday, just two days after Moscow launched its largest attack on Kyiv."In this regard, I note that massive, coordinated strikes against the infrastructure of Ukraine's military-industrial complex and the facilities supporting its operation must continue," the Russian president said.Valery Gerasimov, chief of the Russian army's General Staff, told Putin during a briefing yesterday that Russia "launched another massive strike using long-range precision-guided weapons and strike unmanned aerial vehicles against military-industrial complex facilities in Kyiv".Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 07:15PinnedRussia claims capture of KostiantynivkaRussia's military told president Vladimir Putin yesterday that it had captured the key Ukrainian city of Kostiantynivka.Moscow had long sought to capture the city, deeming it vital for the advance of its troops through the Donetsk region."The troops of the group have liberated the city of Kostiantynivka, one of the main defensive hubs of the enemy within the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk-Kostiantynivka fortified area," General Valery Gerasimov, chief of Russia's General Staff, said."We all know that this city is a key transport and large industrial centre of Donbas," Putin said.Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 06:49'Coming months could be crucial', says Poland's PMPolish prime minister Donald Tusk said yesterday that the coming months could be crucial "for various scenarios", stating that the country is preparing for military provocations."These concerns are particularly palpable in the Baltic states," Tusk said.Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk speaks to the press during a press conference in the gardens of the Prime Minister's Chancellery building in Warsaw (AFP via Getty Images)Western intelligence agencies have been raising alarm in recent weeks about the possibility of a Russian operation in Poland, which shares a border with Russia's heavily armed Kaliningrad and Moscow's ally Belarus."We shouldn't be afraid. We're preparing for various situations, but we can't ignore this," Tusk said.Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 10:00In pictures: Russian air strikes on KyivPeople examine burnt cars parked outside a residential building damaged following a Russian air attack on Kyiv (AFP via Getty Images)A local resident stands on the balcony of his flat in a residential building damaged by a Russian air attack Kyiv (AFP via Getty Images)A local resident carries a plywood board past debris and a residential building damaged following a Russian air attack on Kyiv (AFP via Getty Images)A rescue worker stands in a residential building damaged following a Russian air attack on Kyiv (AFP via Getty Images)Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 09:30Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 09:00Putin brushes aside Russia's fuel shortage woesDespite evidence of growing fuel shortages across Russia, president Vladimir Putin brushed aside the situation as a "non-critical" issue.In the wake of recent Ukrainian attacks on oil facilities in Russia, people from at least 20 regions have been posting videos on social media of hours-long lines at service stations across the country.However, Putin said long-range strikes on Russian oil facilities had "absolutely no effect on the situation at the front".Attacks on Russia's fuel supply continued today as Ukrainian drones carried out targeted strikes at an oil terminal in St Petersburg.Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 08:30Vishwam Sankaran4 July 2026 07:46Alex Croft4 July 2026 03:00Ukraine and US negotiators held talks in past few days, says ZelenskyA senior Ukrainian defence official, Rustem Umerov, and president Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner have held talks in the past two days, president Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday. Speaking at one of ⁠the sites targeted ​in ⁠a devastating Russian ‌attack on Kyiv as rescuers sifted through ‌rubble, Zelensky said he ‌still hoped Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff would ⁠visit Ukraine even though US-backed peace efforts to end the war have stalled for months.Zelensky added that he ‌hoped to have ​a meeting with ‌Trump on the ⁠sidelines of a ⁠Nato summit in the ‌Turkish ​capital Ankara next ‌week.Alex Croft4 July 2026 02:01Europe has largely filled funding gaps left by US, says Nato commanderEuropean NATO allies have largely filled the gaps left by the United States in the alliance's defence plans, NATO's top commander said on Thursday.US Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich added that the bloc was looking at workarounds to address the remaining shortfalls in a few areas."Most may not know – although there was some reporting overnight about this – that in a matter of weeks, European allies have largely filled the gaps left by U.S. reductions to the NATO Force Model," he said."And in those few areas where they haven't, where they do not currently have a like capability to replace, we are looking at alternate capabilities with matching effect."Citing a NATO source, Reuters reported on Wednesday that NATO will announce at next week's Ankara summit that its European members have filled almost all the gaps left by the United States in the alliance's defence plans.Alex Croft4 July 2026 01:00