Russia Claims Control of Chasiv Yar After Months of Intense Fighting — But Ukraine Pushes Back
After nearly a year and a half of relentless and brutal combat, Russia announced it has captured the strategically important town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine. This area has been a fierce battleground, with both sides locked in a deadly struggle that has ravaged the region.
What’s Happening in Chasiv Yar?
The Russian Defense Ministry released dramatic drone footage showing their troops moving through parts of the ruined town. They claimed to have cleared over 4,200 buildings and captured about 50 Ukrainian soldiers. For Moscow, this is being touted as a significant victory.
But Ukraine isn’t ready to concede just yet. The Ukrainian military quickly pushed back on these claims, insisting that Chasiv Yar remains firmly in their hands. The 11th Army Corps stated on Thursday that the town was still under their control, particularly highlighting the western edges where Ukrainian forces reportedly remain entrenched.
Chasiv Yar sits just a few miles west of Bakhmut, a city that has itself been a symbol of bloody fighting. The town had roughly 12,000 residents before the war, but today it’s a ghost town — nearly flattened by years of artillery barrages and airstrikes.
Why Chasiv Yar Matters
If Russia’s claim is true, the capture of Chasiv Yar gives them a valuable foothold — not just a symbolic win, but high ground that can be used to pressure other key cities in Ukraine’s “fortress belt” within the Donetsk region. Cities like Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Kostyantynivka have been repeatedly targeted by Russian missiles and glide bombs launched from aircraft, and this new foothold could make those strikes even more dangerous.
On the very same day Russia claimed the town, Kramatorsk suffered a missile strike that destroyed part of a five-story building, killing one person and injuring about a dozen more, according to the local military administration.
The Battle Wears On Across Donetsk
Despite heavy losses, Russian troops have kept pushing forward in Donetsk this year. The strategic town of Pokrovsk is now surrounded on three sides, and Russian units have advanced right to the border between Donetsk and the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region.
Military analysts note that Russian forces have tweaked their tactics — instead of large, obvious troop movements, they now rely on smaller groups traveling by foot or motorbikes to avoid detection by Ukrainian drones, which have been key in holding back Moscow’s advances.
Still, the toll has been heavy. Thousands of casualties are estimated on both sides as this grinding conflict continues, with neither side giving an inch.
Missile Strikes Hit Kyiv in Devastating Attack
Meanwhile, the war’s brutality reached Ukraine’s capital in a devastating missile and drone strike early Thursday morning.
At least eight people were killed in the attack, including a six-year-old boy and his mother, with more than 50 injured and rushed to hospitals. Among the wounded were nine children — the highest number reported in a single night of attacks on Kyiv, according to Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko.
One missile made a direct hit on an apartment building in the western Sviatoshynskyi district, causing massive destruction. Rescue teams scrambled to dig through rubble, pulling out survivors — including a man who was trapped for over three hours. Families waited anxiously nearby, desperate for news about their loved ones.
One witness, Iryna Tsymokh, recounted how she and her family had just returned from a shelter when the blast hit. “The doors were blown out. My child was screaming so loud… We all just jumped out as we were, in night clothes,” she told reporters.
Another resident, Zoya Onishenko, lost her apartment entirely but survived because she was staying overnight at her country dacha. Stories like hers underscore the chaos and fear ordinary Ukrainians are enduring as the war grinds on.
Zelensky Reacts to the Deadly Assault
President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the attack as “insidious” and deliberate, designed to overwhelm Kyiv’s air defenses. According to him, Russian forces launched a staggering barrage — over 300 drones and eight missiles targeted the capital in this single offensive.
Such large-scale strikes are part of Russia’s ongoing campaign to wear down Ukraine’s defenses and civilian morale. But Kyiv’s leaders and citizens continue to show remarkable resilience in the face of relentless bombardment.
Key Takeaways and Highlights:
-
Chasiv Yar’s contested status: Russia claims it controls the town after clearing thousands of buildings and capturing Ukrainian soldiers. Ukraine denies this, saying forces still hold the western part of the town.
-
Strategic implications: If confirmed, Russia’s hold on Chasiv Yar threatens the broader Donetsk fortress belt — crucial cities that have endured repeated missile and drone attacks.
-
Tactical shifts: Russian forces have moved to smaller, stealthier units to dodge Ukraine’s drone surveillance.
-
Human cost: The town of Chasiv Yar is now in ruins after nearly two years of fighting; civilians face constant danger.
-
Kyiv under fire: The capital suffered a large missile and drone strike killing at least eight, including children, with dozens more injured.
-
Resilience: Despite heavy bombardment and tragic losses, Kyiv’s defenders and residents stand strong and continue to resist.
This brutal phase of the war highlights just how intense the fighting has become in eastern Ukraine, with both sides paying a heavy price. The stakes remain incredibly high as the battle for control over key towns like Chasiv Yar could reshape the front lines and the future of the conflict.
Login