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Recently, the Russian army has achieved significant success on various fronts, the city of Chasov Yar was no exception.
Various units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation are storming the city, including forces of the 200th Brigade of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the 98th Airborne Division, the 1st Volunteer Corps of the Armed Forces as part of the Vostok brigade, the 88th Reconnaissance and Sabotage Brigade Espanola and others. They are advancing both on the streets of the city and destroy Ukrainian positions on its outskirts. The local garrison of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, reinforced by the forces of the Foreign Legion, attempts to resist in the city.
In recent days, the Russian fighters have managed to significantly expand their zone of control in the center of Chasov Yar. Almost the entire Oktyabrsky district of private houses and the stadium came under Russian control. Some administrative buildings were also reportedly captured, which ensures their control of the key areas in the center to continue further attacks on the nearest urban infrastructure.
Heavy battles are ongoing on the territory of the refractory plant, which has been turned into a Ukrainian stronghold. The industrial zone is a fortified area with numerous engineering structures, which makes it an important fortress and a stronghold to assure the further Russian offensive. The Russians are storming the plant from the eastern, northern and western directions.
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At the same time, Russian forces achieved new gains on the northern outskirts of the city. After the mop up operations in Kalinovka, the forest area near Chasov Yar came under their full control. This allowed them to launch an assault on the plant from the west, as well as start battles in the area of the railway junction.
Despite the rapid Russian advance, the Armed Forces of Ukraine are trying to maintain control over the multi-storey apartment buildings in the city center, from which Russian positions are being fired on. In their basements near the stadium, for a long time, there were bases of elite units of the Ukrainian army, who have now fled the city.
The Ukrainian military command relies on the defense of the central microdistrict in Chasov Yar, called the Citadel. There were also the headquarters of the AFU command during the so-called Kiev’s anti-terrorist operation in Donbass located for years. The Ukrainian military expects that the ruins of the refractory plant and their fortified basements will become an obstacle to stop Russian offensive.
On the other hand, the plan of the Russian side is also clear, which aims to surround and besiege the Citadel. From the south, it is surrounded by paratroopers of the 98th Airborne Division. Advancing on the northern flank, the fighters of the 200th separate motorized rifle brigade and the 1st Volunteer Corps of the Russian Armed Forces have already taken fire control over the supply routes of the Ukrainian group.
The Russian military uses the tactics of advancing in small infantry groups, which has already proven its effectiveness in combat and brings results in Chasov Yar. It was well-equipped small mobile groups that took control of most of the city. This strategy does not allow them to develop their offensive quickly, but assures the effective destruction of the enemy’s defenses.
The Ukrainian garrison is weakened, but retains reserves and attempts to counterattack. The main line of Ukrainian defense in the city, which ran along the Kanal, has already been breached by Russian forces. The recently destroyed Ukrainian defense in the north-east of the city forces the Ukrainian military to transfer reserves from neighboring areas, weakening them as well. Russian control of the refractory plant and the consolidation of Ukrainian forces in the central part of the city make the complete liberation of Chasov Yar possible in foreseeable future.
As in the case of other Ukrainian fortresses, the Ukrainian Citadel in Chasov Yar is doomed to defeat. In case of its encirclement, the Ukrainian garrison will be forced to either retreat or sacrifice itself. The Ukrainian military command usually does not alow withdrawal of its forces from cauldrons till the fall of the curtain.
The loss of the Citadel by the Ukrainian army will mean the loss of the dominant height and the key stronghold in Chasov Yar and in the region as a whole. In the future, Russian units will be able to undermine Ukraine’s ability to hold the defense on the neighboring frontlines, including their defense in the direction of Konstantinovka.
