Paratroopers fight their way forward
Ukraine: Kremlin throws about 20,000 soldiers against Chasiv Yar
April 22, 2024, 10:17 p.m
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Russia’s units are preparing for the next material battle. West of Bakhmut, Kremlin troops are approaching the small town of Chasiv Yar. According to Ukraine, Moscow wants to storm the place with 20,000 to 25,000 fighters.
According to Ukrainian sources, Moscow has brought together tens of thousands of soldiers to conquer the hotly contested town of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region. “Russian paratroopers of the 217th Guards Airborne Regiment of the 98th Airborne Division are fighting against us in the sector of the front opposite Chasiv Yar,” spokesman for the Khortytsya operational grouping, Nazar Voloshyn, told the Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne. “About 20,000 to 25,000 Russian soldiers are trying to storm Chasiv Yar and the surrounding settlements.”
According to Voloshyn, the situation around the city is difficult. Despite high losses, the Russians would continue to attack the Ukrainian positions, but without gaining a foothold. Chasiv Yar remains under the control of the Ukrainian armed forces. “There are no Russian troops in the city,” Voloshyn continued. The information cannot be independently verified.
Chasiv Yar is located around nine kilometers west of Bakhmut and has been in the sights of Russian forces for weeks, approaching the city in three attack wedges. In addition, Moscow’s air force repeatedly bombs the place with glide bombs. Only at the weekend did the Kremlin announce the capture of the village of Bohdanivka, northeast of Chasiv Yar. The city’s Ukrainian defenders benefit from the elevated terrain. In addition, the north-south Donbass Canal, which separates the eastern suburb from the rest of the city, creates a natural obstacle.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said that Moscow would try to take Chasiv Yar by May 9th. On this day, Russia annually celebrates the victory over Nazi Germany with a lavish military parade. Before the war, about 15,000 people lived in Chasiv Yar. If the Russian forces conquer the city, the way would be clear for a deep advance towards Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.