The situation in Chasiv Yar is getting worse for Ukraine. This key city on the eastern front blocks the road to the major cities of Donbass. Moscow has been targeting this city, now in ruins, since April with the aim of making a breakthrough towards Kramatorsk, the main city still under Ukrainian control in the region, garrison of the Eastern Front.
« Russian forces recently advanced to the Siversky Donets-Donbass Canal, north of Chasiv Yar », Reports the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Geotagged images released on June 19 indicate that Russian forces advanced “ to the banks of the canal, in the center of Kalynivka (north of Chasiv Yar), in the area where the canal is underground. »
The ISW warns that “ If Russian forces are able to properly exploit this advance, they may be able to attack Chasiv Yar from the north and threaten Ukrainian positions in central Chasiv Yar without having to cross canalized terrain to enter the settlement . » Which would have a catastrophic effect for Ukrainian defense on this front.
“The situation is extremely difficult”
The Russian army had already tried at the end of May and then at the beginning of June to cross this canal, which serves as a natural fortification, at the level of Kalynivka. The attacks had been repelled but the situation remained tense.
« Units of the 24th Mechanized Brigade were redeployed to reinforce defense in the Chasiv Yar sector “, indicates the brigade’s press release on Facebook, admitting that “ the situation in and around the city is extremely difficult “. The 24th brigade explains “ massively destroy the enemy ”, but concedes “ losses ».
« The enemy constantly organizes massive frontal attacks and also tries to bypass Chasiv Yar from the north and south », adds the brigade, which specifies that the Russian forces “ bomb mercilessly » the zone.
An aerial video of the town posted Wednesday by Ukraine’s 225th “Black Swan” assault brigade on its Telegram channel showed a ravaged town streaked with columns of smoke rising into the sky.
