Russian forces have sustained high-tempo offensive operations in the Kostyantynivka sector of Donetsk Oblast through early October 2026, with Ukrainian General Staff reports documenting 15–32 assaults per day near the city and adjacent settlements such as Illinivka, Novoselivka, and Mykolaipillia. Ukrainian units have conducted repeated clearing actions against small Russian infiltration groups entering buildings, including multi-story structures, while ISW assessments note incremental Russian gains inside the city alongside continued contested control. The Royal Café Alex, located in the northern part of Kostyantynivka, serves as a specific geographic marker tied to further Russian progress in that area. Ongoing artillery, drone, and assault activity, combined with Ukrainian defensive repositioning and logistics challenges, continues to shape assessments of whether Russian units can secure the location by the market’s resolution date.