Russia claims capture of Chasiv Yar after 16-month battle in Eastern Ukraine
Russia announced on Thursday that its forces have captured the strategically important town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine, following nearly 16 months of intense combat.
If confirmed, the development would mark a major territorial gain for Moscow and could pave the way for further advances toward key Ukrainian strongholds in the Donetsk region, including Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Ukraine's General Staff reported on Thursday morning that Russian troops had launched fresh attacks near Chasiv Yar, indicating continued clashes in the area.
Meanwhile, DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source intelligence platform that tracks front-line changes, said Ukrainian forces still hold the western part of the town, suggesting that full control by Russia may not yet be established.
The battle for Chasiv Yar began in April 2024, when Russian paratroopers first reached the town’s eastern outskirts. Russian media at the time reported that soldiers had contacted Ukrainian defenders by phone, demanding they surrender or face aerial bombardment using guided bombs.
Once home to over 12,000 residents, the town has been devastated by prolonged fighting. Before the war, its economy centered on a factory producing reinforced concrete products and clay for brickmaking.
Chasiv Yar is located just west of Bakhmut, another city that fell to Russian forces in 2023 after one of the war’s most brutal and prolonged battles.
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