MOSCOW: Russia said on Wednesday that its forces had seized control of a key district in the hilltop town of Chasiv Yar near Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, marking a significant advance in its ongoing military campaign in the region.
The town, situated in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, holds strategic importance due to its location, which could potentially facilitate further offensives by Russian troops across the area.
In a daily briefing, Russia’s defence ministry confirmed that its military had “liberated the ‘Novy’ district of Chasiv Yar,” a neighborhood located on the eastern outskirts of the town. The claim of capture was also validated by Ukraine’s DeepState Telegram channel, known for its links to Kyiv’s army, which reported extensive bombardment and the difficult decision by Ukrainian forces to withdraw from the area.
The specifics of Russia’s territorial gains included details about the district being flattened by intense Russian bombardments, though it remained unclear whether Russian forces had breached a key canal that acts as a natural defensive barrier in the eastern part of the town. This canal has historically aided Ukrainian defences against advancing forces.
Chasiv Yar is positioned approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) west of Bakhmut, another town captured by Russian forces last year after sustained artillery barrages and urban combat devastated the city.
Meanwhile, amidst escalating tensions, Russia conducted a drone and missile assault on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuries to nearly three dozen others, according to Ukrainian officials.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack and called for increased international support to bolster Ukraine’s air defences and supply more long-range weaponry to counter Russian strikes.
“As of now, five people have lost their lives. My condolences to their families and friends. Thirty-four people, including a child, have been wounded,” Zelensky stated in a social media post.
The assault on Dnipro, an industrial hub located in central Ukraine, has been a persistent target for Russian forces since the outset of their invasion two years ago. Regional governor Sergiy Lysak described the attack as “vicious,” noting that casualties included a 14-year-old girl among the wounded.
Ukraine’s air defence forces reportedly intercepted six drones and successfully neutralized five out of seven missiles launched during the assault, aimed primarily at Dnipro.
The mayor of Dnipropetrovsk, Mykola Lukashuk, characterized the attack as “massive,” sharing images that illustrated the destruction caused to buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure across the city.
