More than 20,000 Russian paratroopers are currently attempting to take control of Chasiv Yara strategic location in the eastern Donetsk region, about ten kilometres west of the occupied Bakhmut. This massive effort by Kremlin forces marks a significant escalation in the conflict that pits Russia against Ukraine.
The spokesman of the Operations and Strategy Group of the Ukrainian army, Nazar Voloshynconfirmed in an interview on public television that among the 20,000 and 25,000 soldiers of 217th Parachute Regiment of 98th Russian Airborne Division are engaged in assaults on Chasiv Yar and surrounding villages. Despite the intensity of the attacks, Voloshin denied rumours of Russian troops entering the town, describing the situation as 'difficult but controlled'.
According to Voloshin, despite their numerical commitment and intensive use of resources, the Russians failed to establish lasting control, frequently retreating in the face of Ukrainian resistance.
Russian tactics reflect strategies previously employed for the capture of Avdiivkawith heavy artillery and air force attacks aimed at weakening Ukrainian positions. The broader context sees a deterioration of the situation on the eastern front, as stated on 13 April by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi.
The Russian military command set its soldiers the goal of taking Chasiv Yar by 9 May, seeking to advance towards the Siversky Donets-Donbas Canal to create the conditions for a further push towards Kramatorsk. This movement, if not countered, could prelude a wider offensive towards Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk and Slovyansk, significantly raising the stakes in the conflict.
This episode thus represents a critical point in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, highlighting on the one hand Ukraine's determination to defend its sovereignty and on the other hand the strategic importance of Chasiv Yar for Russian military operations in the region. While Kiev calls for more weapons, the situation remains tense and the world watches with concern the developments in this theatre of war that continues to affect regional stability and beyond.
