Politico: Chasiv Yar emerges Ukraine’s last stronghold line of defense in Donetsk
The strategic city of Chasiv Yar, located just 10 kilometers from the embattled town of Bakhmut, has become the latest focal point in Russia's offensive, with Ukrainian officials warning that its fall could jeopardize the security of the remaining Ukrainian-held cities in the Donetsk region.
According to a senior Ukrainian official who spoke to Politico, a potential Russian victory in the Ukrainian-held city of Chasiv Yar “would jeopardize the security of the remaining Ukrainian-held cities in Donetsk.”
A strategic city, Chasiv Yar, is located 10 kilometers from Bakhmut and situated on commanding heights that are beneficial for defensive operations.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, said on 14 April that Russian forces are concentrating their efforts west of Bakhmut to capture the town of Chasiv Yar by 9 May to demonstrate in Russian military propaganda the success on the war front.
Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn, a Ukrainian army spokesperson, said to Politico that if the Russian forces captured Chasiv Yar, they would have the opportunity to launch an offensive on Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
“These cities are the last stronghold of Donetsk region, which is under the control of Ukraine,” he said.
Voloshyn said that despite the constant attacks, the Russians were unlikely to reach their goal, but stressed that Kyiv requires Western air defense, F-16 jets, and other weapons to change the situation around Bakhmut and Avdiivka, where the Russians are taking advantage of Kyiv’s lack of ammunition and Moscow’s air superiority.
While Russian troops claim to be within 500 meters of Chasiv Yar, Voloshyn said that the city and its surroundings remain under Ukrainian control. To prevent the city’s fall, the Ukrainian command has reinforced brigades fighting near Chasiv Yar with ammunition, drones, and electronic warfare equipment, as reported by Syrskiy.
Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskiy indicated a need to boost morale among Ukrainian troops, stating, “There’s a need to improve the quality of training, including the moral and psychological component.”
Yurii Fedorenko, commander of the Achilles battalion in the 92nd Separate Assault Brigade, said that during the ongoing assault on the town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces are losing 50 to 70% of their military equipment.
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