The Russian Ministry of Defense complained that Ukraine had rejected a ceasefire in Kostiantynivka

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the Ukrainian side, through its intelligence services, rejected a proposal for a temporary ceasefire in Kostiantynivka, Donetsk Oblast, to facilitate the handover of the bodies of fallen Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers. 

The Russian side proposed declaring a ceasefire on July 6 from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., allegedly as a “humanitarian gesture,” following the Kremlin’s statements that the city had come under the control of the occupying forces, and also planned to involve foreign media to cover the process.

Astra reported this, citing a statement from the Russian agency.

The Russian Federation’s initiative came amid statements by Russian leadership claiming the complete capture of Kostiantynivka, which the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Defense Forces dismissed as fake news and refuted, emphasizing that fighting for the town continues. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called Moscow’s claims yet another lie and proposed that Vladimir Putin meet with him directly in Kostiantynivka. In response, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected this proposal, stating that the Ukrainian leader could come to Moscow for talks, while the Russian Ministry of Defense later acknowledged that fighting was continuing in the city.