Russian victory in Ukrainian-held city of Chasov Yar, currently targeted by a sustained military offensive would threaten the security of the remaining Ukrainian-controlled cities in the Donetsk region, a senior Ukrainian official told Politico.
„If the Russian occupiers succeed in capturing this city, they will have the opportunity to launch an offensive against Konstantinovka, Druzhkovka, Kramatorsk and Slavyansk,” said Lt. Col. Nazar Voloshin, a spokesman for the Ukrainian army. “These cities are the last stronghold of the Donetsk region, which is under the control of Ukraine,”, he added.
Chasov Yar is a strategically important town located 10 kilometers from Bakhmut. It is located on heights advantageous for defense and giving control over the surrounding area. It is currently under the control of Ukraine, but the Russians have gone on the offensive and, according to sources, have orders from Vladimir Putin to take it by May 9, Victory Day.
The Kremlin has ordered that Chasov Yar be captured before May 9, the day Russians celebrate the Soviet victory in World War II and a holy holiday for Russian military propaganda, which desperately needs a major victory on the war front.
Russian military bloggers have confirmed that Chasov Yar is an important milestone on the way to occupying the entire Donetsk region and fulfilling one of Putin's “main goals of the special operation”. Russian forces use their superiority in troop numbers to mount attacks in small groups with the support of artillery and aviation, leveling buildings and critical infrastructure with aerial bombs and artillery and then sending their troops to storm Ukrainian positions.
Russian troops say they are only 500 meters from Chasov Yar, but Voloshin said the town and its surroundings are still under Kiev's control. To prevent the fall of the city, the Ukrainian command reinforced the brigades fighting near Chasov Yar with ammunition, drones and electronic warfare equipment.
Voloshin said that despite the constant attacks, the Russians were unlikely to achieve their goal. However, he stressed that Kiev needs Western air defenses, F-16s and other weapons to be able to change the situation around Bakhmut and Avdeyevka, where the Russians are taking advantage of a lack of ammunition.