Ukraine still controls the strategically important eastern city of Kostiantynivka, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the General Staff said on Saturday, rejecting Russian claims that it has been captured.
Russia's military told President Vladimir Putin on Friday that its forces had taken control of Kostiantynivka, a target that Moscow has long sought in its advance through the Donetsk region.
"Of course, that is not true. It is just another Russian lie, an attempt to generate some kind of a news story," Zelenskiy said on X.
"If Kostiantynivka were under Russian control, then perhaps Putin would have no problem meeting me there to find a diplomatic way to finally end this war," he added, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The General Staff also said Kostiantynivka remained under the control of Ukrainian forces.
