Russian forces are doubling down on their efforts to capture the critical frontline town of Kostiantynivka, with Russia already making tactical gains in the area. This comes as Russia reportedly shifts focus away from the nearby city of Sloviansk, which Moscow attempted to capture at the beginning of its spring–summer offensive but failed to take.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has also announced a $30 billion increase to its defense budget, bringing it to a total of $97.6 billion for 2026. This budget increase was largely secured thanks to funding from the European Union.

While Ukraine may be gaining a slight strategic advantage despite a largely stagnant front line, there have been successful Ukrainian strikes against Russian logistics routes supplying Crimea.

To discuss this as well as the situation around Kostiantynivka, Ukraine Brief’s host Ashim Kumar is joined by Iryna Krasnoshtan, Program Director at the International Center for Ukrainian Victory.

Chapters:
00:00 Civilian casualties update
01:11 Ukraine’s budget receives financial boost
02:25 Russian forces advance near Kostiantynivka
03:32 Interview: Momentum shift, Ukrainian advantages, and Russian attrition
06:11 Interview: Ukrainian resilience and offsetting manpower shortages with drones
08:26 Interview: How much weight to assign to Kostiantynivka
10:07 Interview: Europe’s role in peace efforts

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