Ukraine's military said that the forces of Kiev pushed the Russian troops out of an area in the city of Chasov Yar (in Ukrainian Chasiv Yar) on the eastern front of hostilities, which is considered to be Moscow's next target in its slow advance in the region, Reuters reported, quoted by BTA.
According to a Russian report, however, Moscow forces destroyed a communications tower near the city and made further progress.
Russian forces are slowly making their way through parts of eastern Ukraine, capturing several villages after seizing the key town of Avdeyevka in February.
Chasov Yar is located at an altitude of 20 km west of Bakhmut, a town that Russian forces captured a year ago after months of fighting. Both sides see the city as a potential launching point for a Russian advance on key cities in eastern Donetsk Oblast, including Kramatorsk and Slavyansk.
Nazar Voloshin, spokesman for the southern group of forces of Ukraine, told the media that Russian forces have moved out of the "Kanal" district. of Chasiv Yar along the Siversky Donets-Donbass canal, which passes along the eastern edge of the city. He added that in 24 hours, Russian troops fired on Kiev's forces in more than 200 cases, mostly on the southern approaches of the city.
A report by the Ukrainian Army General Staff late last night said Russian troops had tried to push back Ukrainian forces six times near Chasiv Yar. Three attacks have been repelled, and fighting still engulfs the area.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Washington published in "X" a call to halt the Russian advance on Chasov Yar, saying Russia is desperately trying to destroy the city, striking even damaged churches and civilian housing blocks. "We must prevent Russia from turning it into a ghost town before it is too late.
Russian news agency TASS, however, quoted Russian brigade commander Stanislav Orlov as saying his forces had destroyed a communications tower at the city's highest point. "This allowed the breakthrough to be carried out without loss,", according to his words.
Ukraine has long anticipated the Russian advance on the city, Reuters notes. Last month, its commander-in-chief Alexander Sirsky said Moscow's forces hoped to capture Chasov Yar in time for the May 9 ceremonies marking the anniversary of the Soviet Union's victory in World War II.
More than half of the clashes yesterday took place in the Pokrovsk region of the Donetsk region, the Ukrainian General Staff also noted in its evening report, indicating that "the enemy is looking for ways to break through our defenses", DPA reported.
However, the frontline remains unchanged.
The Ukrainian military also reported heavy fighting around the village of Mirnoe, west of the city of Zaporizhia, where a Russian brigade lost about 95 percent of its soldiers after massive strikes, according to a statement published by Ukrainian news agency UNIAN.