Putin offers humanitarian evacuation mission for Kostiantynivka

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during talks with US representatives that Russia is ready to organize a humanitarian mission to evacuate people from Kostiantynivka in Donetsk region, similar to the operation in Oleshky. Putin claimed Russia "controls" Kostiantynivka and can ensure safe evacuation conditions, proposing involvement of human rights ombudsmen from both Ukraine and Russia. He said Russia needs five days to demine the area near the city, and suggested Kyiv provide security from its side if it considers the city under its control. Kostiantynivka is a key defensive stronghold for Ukrainian forces in Donetsk region. Russia claimed to have captured the city in July, but fighting continues there, according to Ukrainian General Staff spokesman Andriy Kovalev, who refuted Russian Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov's October 17 statement about its capture. The talks followed a trilateral US-Ukraine-Russia meeting in Abu Dhabi on November 11, which resulted in an agreement on a large-scale prisoner exchange.