The SOF Command published the video on Facebook Ukrainian operators eliminated three more Russian invaders who had managed to take cover in the basement of a residential building "The basement became a trap for the enemy SOF soldiers approached it directly and used thermobaric grenades," the statement read Special Forces engaged another enemy group in a firefight and Ukrainian troops captured enemy equipment we are only now able to release footage from the body cameras of SOF operators," the command said Illustrative photo: General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces  While citing and using any materials on the Internet links to the website ukrinform.net not lower than the first paragraph are mandatory citing the translated materials of foreign media outlets is possible only if there is a link to the website ukrinform.net and the website of a foreign media outlet Materials marked as "Advertisement" or with a disclaimer reading "The material has been posted in accordance with Part 3 of Article 9 of the Law of Ukraine "On Advertising" No 1996 and the Law of Ukraine "On the Media" No 2023 and on the basis of an agreement/invoice Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421 The key eastern Ukrainian stronghold of Chasiv Yar has fallen to advancing Russian forces five Ukrainian and European military and government sources have independently confirmed to The Moscow Times.  While neither the Ukrainian nor Russian militaries have confirmed the city’s capture The Moscow Times’ sources on the ground report that Ukrainian forces have been pushed to the outskirts marking a significant shift in the battle that has raged since April 2024 a strategically important hilltop city in the Donetsk region had been under relentless Russian assault for nearly a year.  Ukrainian forces faced mounting challenges in holding their positions as manpower shortages and dwindling Western military aid took a toll systematically tightening their grip on the city One Ukrainian military source confirmed the city’s fall “All supply roads in and out of the city are being heavily bombed,” another source said referring to intensified Russian strikes on the western approaches to Chasiv Yar Russian forces launched their first direct assault on the city in April 2024 they had captured the nearby town of Bohdanivka strengthening their position for the push into Chasiv Yar.  Moscow’s troops had breached Ukrainian defensive lines and advanced into southeastern parts of the city establishing footholds along its canal network.  Russian forces reached the city center by mid-November, escalating the intensity of urban combat. Despite determined Ukrainian counterattacks, Russian troops continued to make gains, particularly in the north, by late December. Heavy fighting in the west of the city was reported on Monday Chasiv Yar was the last major Ukrainian defensive position standing between Russian forces and the larger urban centers of Kostyantynivka Kramatorsk and Sloviansk — key targets for Moscow in its broader war effort to control all of the Donetsk region.  “The Russians are in the city center; any Ukrainians still in the city are the last holdouts on the outskirts,” a third source citing multiple military contacts said of the situation on the ground All five of The Moscow Times' sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter only 304 residents remained in the besieged city out of a pre-war population of 12,000 Evacuations have been increasingly difficult to carry out amid relentless shelling and those still in Chasiv Yar rely on scarce humanitarian aid while facing a collapse in basic services The future of Kyiv’s defenses in eastern Ukraine remains uncertain as Russia continues to advance.  Western support for Ukraine is at a critical juncture President Donald Trump — who has criticized the amount of Washington’s aid to Kyiv — pledging to negotiate an end to the nearly three-year full-scale war within his first 100 days in office Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help please support us monthly starting from just $2 and every contribution makes a significant impact independent journalism in the face of repression despite reports of Russian captureJanuary 30 2025 11:24 am)5 min readUkrainian soldiers of the 43rd Brigade work on a Soviet-era Pion self-propelled howitzer in the direction of Chasiv Yar (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu via Getty Images)  (Updated:  January 31, 2025 11:24 am)5 min readby Chris YorkEditor's note: This story has been updated with comment from a serviceman from Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade communications unit Reports that the embattled Ukrainian city of Chasiv Yar has fallen to Russian forces have been dismissed by experts and officials speaking to the Kyiv Independent and the latest OSINT data suggests fighting is still ongoing "(Ukrainian forces are) "still fighting," Oleg Petrasiuk a serviceman from Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade communications unit adding the battles in the city were "street fights." The front-line city has become one of the hottest spots in Donetsk Oblast in recent months as Russian troops continue advancing in eastern Ukraine The battle for control of Chasiv Yar has been raging for months, with Ukraine's forces limiting Russian advances to a slow and incremental slog with both sides engaged in brutal street-to-street fighting On Jan. 29, the Moscow Times published a report declaring the city had fallen to Moscow's forces citing five Ukrainian and European military and government sources Neither Ukraine nor Russia has officially commented directly on the report but comments from Ukrainian military officials and even Russian military bloggers all suggest fighting is still ongoing in Chasiv Yar spokesperson of the National Guard of Ukraine made no mention of the fall of the city but acknowledged Russian attacks had "significantly intensified" and incorporated some of Moscow's best-trained troops "The enemy has recently increased the number of personnel involved in infantry assaults (in this direction)," he said adding: "These are not only motorized rifle units 29 (Nizar al-Rifai/The Kyiv Independent)Muzychuk said Russian forces were employing a range of weapons to attack Ukrainian positions including aviation He added that urban warfare of the type being waged in the destroyed streets of Chasiv Yar was the "most difficult type of battle for infantry" for both defenders and attackers "That is why quite often the enemy tries to bypass the city by the flanks But while reports of Chasiv Yar's fall may be premature the direction of the battle for the city is going in Russia's favor The battle for Chasiv Yar has now been waged for months, beginning in April 2024 as part of Russia's grinding, slow, and costly advances in Donetsk Oblast After the fall of Bakhmut in May 2023 and the fall of Avdiivka in February 2024 Russian forces overran one village after another and took up positions close to Chasiv Yar Chasiv Yar boasts the highest point in the area an important target for any army wanting to gain an advantage It is divided in the east by the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal creating a barrier between the Kanal micro-district and the rest of the city Kyiv's forces managed to keep Russian troops out of the city But since then, Moscow's forces have advanced incrementally into the city, reaching the canal and forcing Ukrainian forces to partially retreat in July Russian forces have continued to make small advances into Chasiv Yar are still some way from taking the entire city Chasiv Yar was home to around 12,000 people Ukraine's Interior Ministry posted an aerial view of the city on social media only a wasteland remains," the statement read "I wouldn't say that Chasiv Yar has fallen yet," Emil Kastehelmi an OSINT analyst with the Finland-based Black Bird Group and military history expert "It's an unfavorable trend for the Ukrainians but the Russian pace of advance has been so slow that it will take weeks or months before the battle of Chasiv Yar is over," he added The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) on Jan 29 cited several OSINT analysts and Russian military bloggers and assessed that although Russian forces — including Chechen “Akhmat” Spetsnaz forces — had made advances in Chasiv Yar and the surrounding area there are no indication that the city had fallen "The Russians have actually made some progress inside the city," Kastehelmi said adding Russian forces had taken "most of the northern parts of the city." A view of destruction from a Russian attack in Chasiv Yar (Maciek Musialek/Anadolu via Getty Images)"The Ukrainians are still defending the southern and central parts and there may also be some fighting going on near the northern parts of the city," he added If Russia were able to take the city, it would have a significant impact on the war in Donetsk Oblast and is crucial for Russia's larger offensive ambitions in the east. Holding the city allows the military to retain fire control over key supply routes, severely hampering the opposing army’s operations in the area. Ultimately, the fall of Chasiv Yar would mean the last Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk Oblast — the cities of Kostiantynivka, Druzhkivka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk — would be under massive threat from Russian forces. Additional reporting by Kateryna Hodunova and Tim Zadorozhnyy. Chris York is news operations editor at the Kyiv Independent. Before joining the team, he was head of news at the Kyiv Post. Previously, back in Britain, he spent nearly a decade working for HuffPost UK. He holds an MA in Conflict, Development, and Security from the University of Leeds. 20254:03 PM UTCScenes from Ukraine's frontlines after three years of warIn what has become a war of attrition now at its three-year mark both sides are sustaining heavy casualties as Moscow's forces slowly but steadily advance at a time when the scale and nature of any future U.S [1/41]Servicemen of Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade fire a BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket system toward Russian troops near the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian Armed ForcesCHASIV YAR [2/41]Servicemen of Ukraine's 24th Mechanized brigade rest at their position in the frontline town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian Armed ForcesShare this photo [3/41]Sappers of Ukraine's 24th Mechanized brigade inspect an area for mines and unexploded shells near the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian Armed Forces Share this photo REUTERS/Stringer/File PhotoZAPORIZHZHIA REGION [5/41]Destroyed buildings in the frontline town of Toretsk Iryna Rybakova/Ukrainian Armed Forces TORETSK [6/41]A serviceman of the 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces launches a reconnaissance drone at his position near the town of Toretsk Iryna Rybakova/Ukrainian Armed Forces TORETSK REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoDNIPROPETROVSK REGION [8/41]A serviceman of 24th Mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces rests at his position at the frontline Oleg Petrasiuk/Ukrainian Armed ForcesCHASIV YAR [9/41]A Ukrainian serviceman with the call sign 'Kasper' a member of the 14th Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment salutes next to deep-strike unmanned aerial vehicles before launching them toward Russian territory REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoUNDISCLOSED LOCATION [10/41]A police officer observes an area for Russian FPV drones from an apartment building damaged by Russian military strikes in the frontline town of Orikhiv [11/41]Servicemen of the 110th Territorial Defence Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces load a rocket into a Grad-P Partizan launcher before firing towards Russian troops [12/41]A serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine runs as a Shark reconnaissance drone lands near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region [13/41]A combat medic of 14th Assault Brigade Chervona Kalyna of the Ukrainian National Guard treats an injured Ukrainian serviceman inside a medical stabilization point [14/41]A serviceman of Ukraine's 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade builds a trench as part of a system of new fortifications near the city of Kramatorsk Iryna Rybakova/Ukrainian Armed ForcesShare this photo [15/41]A serviceman of the 13th Operative Purpose Brigade 'Khartiia' of the National Guard of Ukraine walks along a road in the frontline village of Lyptsi in Kharkiv region [16/41]A serviceman of the 148th Separate Artillery Zhytomyr Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine sits near shells as he and a soldier await command to fire a M777 Howitzer towards Russian troops at a frontline position in Donetsk region [18/41]A serviceman of Ukraine's 49th Separate Assault Battalion Carpathian Sich checks mortar shells as he prepares to fire a 120-mm mortar towards Russian troops near the town of Toretsk Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko TORETSK [19/41]A destroyed bridge and houses in the frontline village of Lyptsi in Kharkiv region [20/41]A serviceman of Ukraine's 24th Mechanized brigade reacts as they fire a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops near the town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk region Oleg Petrasiuk/24th King Danylo Separate Mechanized BrigadeCHASIV YAR More in this CollectionSee all picturesItem 21 of 41 A Servicemen of the 32nd Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a dugout near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko [21/41]A Servicemen of the 32nd Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a dugout near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko Share this gallery , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Special Operations Forces showed last year's battle near Chasiv Yar, during which Ukrainian fighters managed to repel an enemy assault, according to the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "A group of the 8th Special Operations Forces regiment repelled an enemy assault near Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region the operators destroyed 3 more Russian occupiers who managed to gain a foothold in the basement of a residential building," the SOF writes as the SOF fighters threw thermobaric grenades at them the soldiers engaged in battle with another group of Russian occupiers during which they managed to destroy several Russian troops and capture a radio station can we publish footage from the body cameras of the SOF operators," the SOF adds Since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has already lost over 954,000 troops. Over the past 24 hours alone, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have eliminated another 1,110 Russian troops This opinion was expressed on national television by the spokesman for the Luhansk grouping of troops (the enemy - ed.) is waiting for some weather conditions in order to actively conduct assault attempts in the direction of Chasiv Yar It is highly likely that a mechanized assault will target the Chasiv Yar sector," Zaporozhets said signs confirming that outlook include daily high-intensity artillery strikes "Aweek ago there were 150 to 180 strikes as it’s the case in Toretsk - this is the scale of artillery fire the enemy directed at the positions of our Defense Forces Drone reconnaissance is also actively underway about 21 recon drones have been in the air throughout the operational zone but the largest number is in the Chasiv Yar and Toretsk axes the enemy is not actively communicating on radio frequencies which may also suggest they have amassed some forces and may try to go on assault missions," Zaporozhets said Zaporozhets previously said Russian invaders are exploiting civilians in the occupied territories in the Toretsk and Chasiv Yar areas to retrieve the bodies of their soldiers The reported attack comes just days before Russia's Victory Day parade and three-day "truce." MPs will be able to ask questions and learn more about the details of the agreement in meetings with Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko May 6-7 MP Serhii Sobolev told the news outlet Suspilne The ratification vote is scheduled for May 8 Attacks against the border villages of Bilopillia and Vorozhba damaged civilian infrastructure and triggered emergency evacuations the regional military administration reported "I look forward to working with President Erdogan on getting the ridiculous war between Russia and Ukraine ended — now!" U.S Putin's Victory Day truce "doesn't sound like much if you know where we started from," Trump told reporters at the White House on May 5 Far-right Euroskeptic candidate George Simion head of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan placed second with 20.99% of the vote and the candidate from the ruling coalition "It requires the continuation of contacts between Moscow and Washington which have been launched and are now ongoing," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said set to operate within the Council of Europe will focus on Russia's political and military leaders up to 20 Russian soldiers were killed and their equipment destroyed The move represents an apparent violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions passed in the wake of North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) tests "We are ready to deepen our contribution to the training of the Ukrainian military," Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on May 5 by Tim ZadorozhnyyAn aerial view of Chasiv Yar (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)Russian forces are concentrating troops for fresh assaults in Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast a spokesperson for the Operational Tactical Group Luhansk Chasiv Yar in Ukraine's east has been one of the focal points of the Russian offensive in Donetsk Oblast. The town, located 25 kilometers (15 miles) from Kramatorsk, has been partially under Russian control since Ukrainian forces withdrew from the eastern Kanal neighborhood in July 2024 "Now there is a period of accumulation and concentration (of Russian forces).. on the approaches to Chasiv Yar and regrouping in the town itself for further assault operations," Zaporozhets said on national television The spokesperson added that over the past week, Russian forces have avoided using armored vehicles instead relying on quad bikes and buggies for logistical support 0:00/1×A view of the streets of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, amid intense fighting as Russia continues its offensive in Ukraine's east. (Interior Ministry / Facebook).On Jan. 29, The Moscow Times reported that Chasiv Yar had fallen to Russian forces Neither Ukraine nor Russia has officially confirmed the claim Comments from Ukrainian military officials and even Russian military bloggers indicate that intense fighting continues in the town The battle for Chasiv Yar has been ongoing for months, with Ukraine's forces slowing Russia's advances through brutal street-to-street combat Tim Zadorozhnyy is a news editor at The Kyiv Independent he is pursuing studies in International Relations Tim began his career at a local television channel in Odesa he joined the Belarusian opposition media outlet NEXTA starting as a news anchor and later advancing to the position of managing editor spokesperson for the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group Russian forces are now focusing their operations on the northern side attempting to dislodge the Defense Forces from their positions Exploiting the favorable conditions of the season the enemy is maneuvering through the city not only under the cover of night or adverse weather but also taking advantage of the lush vegetation,” Zaporozhets explained When asked about the situation around Chasiv Yar the spokesman stated that enemy activity in the area has escalated significantly over the past week He noted that earlier operations primarily consisted of isolated assault attempts predominantly involving personnel movements conducting assault operations targeting the Defense Forces' positions the Kramatorsk continues to endure the most relentless shelling," stated Zaporozhets He noted that most of these attacks are executed using cannon artillery which destroys even the most fortified shelters "The enemy is also actively deploying tactical aviation in this area tactical aviation activity has been significant the enemy conducted 121 airstrikes during this period deploying approximately 250 glide bombs across the operational area assuming an average of two glide bombs per strike," Zaporozhets elaborated He further indicated that Russia has been particularly active in using this tactic in the Toretsk sector in the operational zone of the Luhansk Tactical Group Russian troops are actively using reconnaissance drones by Abbey Fenbert, The Kyiv Independent news deskAn aerial view of a ruined and uninhabitable city on July 3 (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)Russian forces have not "managed to gain a foothold" across the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal in the embattled city of Chasiv Yar a spokesperson of the Operational Tactical Group Luhansk Bobovnikova's comments came after the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState reported on Oct. 17 that Russian forces had advanced in Chasiv Yar "I do not confirm the fact that Russian troops have managed to gain a foothold in the canal .. or anywhere in the direction of Chasiv Yar," Bobovnikova said "The overall strategic position of the city remains under the control of Ukraine." crossed the canal and engaged in assault operations on the Ukrainian-controlled side of the city "Given that the enemy uses the tactics of small assault groups the enemy infantry runs behind the canal," Bobovnikova said such maneuvers are accompanied by significant losses for the Russians Ukrainian forces quickly repel such attacks small groups of Russian soldiers have "occupied" buildings on the western side of the canal but they are quickly flushed out by Ukrainian units The Donetsk Oblast city of Chasiv Yar has been partially under Russian control since Ukrainian forces withdrew from the eastern Kanal neighborhood in July, establishing the canal as the new front line Russian troops set their sights on Chasiv Yar, which boasts natural elevation, after capturing Avdiivka in February. If Russian forces occupy the city completely, the higher ground could give them a key strategic advantage in attacks on other towns in Donetsk Oblast Chasiv Yar was home to about 12,000 people In recent months, Russian troops have been conducting a grinding advance in eastern Ukraine, making territorial gains while incurring heavy losses According to Ukrinform, the Khortytsia operational and strategic grouping of troops reported this in Telegram and posted a video a shelter with personnel were damaged and destroyed “As a result of the successful actions of the attack aircraft, the enemy lost critical elements for conducting combat operations and monitoring Ukrainian forces,” the military said As Ukrinform reported, the total combat losses of Russian troops since February 24, 2022 in the war against Ukraine amount to about 944,270 people. Online media entity; Media identifier - R40-01421. © 2015-2025 Ukrinform. All rights reserved. 20255:27 PM UTCScenes from the frontlines as outnumbered Ukraine fights off Russian attacksIn what has become a war of attrition now nearing its three-year mark [1/35]A serviceman of 24th Mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces rests at his position at the frontline Oleg Petrasiuk/24th King Danylo Separate Mechanized BrigadeCHASIV YAR [2/35]Servicemen of the 110th Territorial Defence Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces load a rocket into a Grad-P Partizan launcher before firing towards Russian troops [3/35]A Ukrainian serviceman with the call sign 'Kasper' [5/35]A Ukrainian serviceman of the 5th Separate Heavy Mechanised Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces sits in a Leopard 1A5 tank Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko DONETSK REGION [6/35]A serviceman of the 25th Separate Airborne Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine [8/35]A serviceman of the 13th Operative Purpose Brigade 'Khartiia' of the National Guard of Ukraine walks along a road [9/35]A serviceman of the 148th Separate Artillery Zhytomyr Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine sits near shells as he and a soldier await command to fire a M777 Howitzer towards Russian troops at a frontline position in Donetsk region [10/35]A serviceman of 24th Mechanized brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reacts as they fire a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops at the frontline [11/35]A destroyed bridge and houses in the frontline village of Lyptsi in Kharkiv region [12/35]A serviceman of the 49th Separate Assault Battalion Carpathian Sich of the Armed Forces of Ukraine checks mortar shells as he prepares to fire a 120-mm mortar towards Russian troops at the frontline [13/35]A downed Russian Molniya "Lightning" drone near the frontline in Dnipropetrovsk region REUTERS/Oleksandr KlymenkoDNIPROPETROVSK REGION [14/35]A Servicemen of the 32nd Separate Mechanised Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in a dugout near the frontline town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko POKROVSK [15/35]Servicemen of the 148th Separate Artillery Zhytomyr Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine prepare to fire a M777 Howitzer towards Russian troops at a frontline position in Donetsk region [16/35]Servicemen of the 38th Separate Marine Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine ride a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicle to a combat mission near the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk region [17/35]A serviceman of 24th Mechanized brigade named after King Danylo of the Ukrainian Armed Forces stands at his frontline position in a front line Oleg Petrasiuk/24th King Danylo Separate Mechanized BrigadeCHASIV YAR Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko DONETSK REGION [19/35]An injured Ukrainian serviceman at a stabilization point near the frontline town Pokrovsk in Donetsk region [20/35]A Ukrainian service member of the 14th Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment prepares a deep strike unmanned aerial vehicle before its launch toward Russian territory REUTERS/Valentyn OgirenkoUNDISCLOSED LOCATION More in this CollectionSee all picturesItem 21 of 35 Servicemen of 24th Mechanized brigade prepare to fire a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops Oleg Petrasiuk/24th King Danylo Separate Mechanized Brigade[21/35]Servicemen of 24th Mechanized brigade prepare to fire a 2S1 Gvozdika self-propelled howitzer towards Russian troops Oleg Petrasiuk/24th King Danylo Separate Mechanized BrigadeShare this gallery by Abbey FenbertIllustrative purposes: The destroyed Chasivoyarsk Refractory Plant on June 18 (Viktor Fridshon/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)Ukrainian forces launched an aerial attack against a Russian-occupied refractory plant in the embattled city of Chasiv Yar spokesperson for the Operational Tactical Group Luhansk The attack confirms earlier reports that Ukrainian troops had withdrawn from the plant "On the territory of the refractory plant attacking in small and medium groups," Zaporozhets said during a television broadcast (occupying Russian troops) were discovered in one of the premises on the territory of the refractory plant and an air strike was carried out The Ukrainian news outlet Ukrainska Pravda posted a video obtained from the Operational Tactical Group Luhansk In the past week, Russian military bloggers alleged that Russian forces had pushed Ukrainian troops out of the refractory plant in Chasiv Yar. The crowd-sourced monitoring website Deep State also reported on Jan The plant served as reliable fortification for Ukrainian forces who must now shelter in residential buildings weakened by constant shelling Fighting has recently intensified near the city, with Russian forces reportedly using armored combat vehicles in their assault for the first time in late December Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent and playwright with an MFA from Boston University Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011 by Nate Ostiller, The Kyiv Independent news deskAn aerial view of Chasiv Yar (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)Editor's note: This article has been updated after Andrii Polukhin a spokesperson for Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade said that he mistakenly calculated that Russia controlled 40% of Chasiv Yar Polukhin did not say how much of Chasiv Yar Russian forces control Russian forces control part of the embattled Donetsk Oblast town of Chasiv Yar but Ukraine is preventing them from crossing the canal in the eastern part of the city Earlier in the day, Polukhin said that Russian forces controlled 40% of the town, but he later said that the estimate was a mistake. According to the crowd-sourced monitoring website DeepState, Russian forces control only 8% of Chasiv Yar After capturing Avdiivka in February, Russian forces shifted their focus toward Chasiv Yar an elevated town that potentially creates an opening for further Russian advances into Donetsk Oblast Ukraine's military withdrew from the eastern Kanal neighborhood in July but military experts told the Kyiv Independent at the time that the withdrawal had "no strategic consequences." Polukhin confirmed that the front line still runs along the canal that divides the city from its eastern neighborhood If the town is fully captured, Russian forces could utilize its elevation to gain an increased advantage for attacks on the neighboring towns of Kostiantynivka and Druzhkivka as well as the larger nearby city of Kramatorsk The seizure of Chasiv Yar could be "a very dangerous thing" for Ukraine's defensive positions in Donetsk Oblast Fighting in Chasiv Yar has been highly destructive and costly for Russian troops Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, said in July that over 5,000 Russian troops had been lost fighting for one district of the town the city of Chasiv Yar is destroyed," Polukhin said either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Russia's government said on Sunday its forces had captured another village in the eastern Ukrainian Donetsk region shortly after it claimed to have seized the city of Toretsk While fighting has blazed for nearly three years along hundreds of miles of front lines Russia has focused its efforts on capturing as much of Ukraine's industrial Donetsk region as possible Kyiv has often reported the fiercest clashes taking place in the oblast Russia has set its sights on capturing several cities and Toretsk—to the northeast—as well as on Chasiv Yar The Kremlin has been trying to capture Chasiv Yar since its forces seized the destroyed city of Bakhmut in May 2023 but have made slow progress despite many months of bitter shows much of the settlement now under Russian control with the northwestern edge of Orikhovo-Vasylivka as undetermined The statement from the Russian government came two days after Moscow said Toretsk had fallen to its troops Ukrainian officials have repeatedly denied that the Kremlin now controls Toretsk Ukraine's Khortytsia group of troops operating in Donetsk said on Sunday that Russian forces had attempted to raise the country's tricolor flag in Toretsk but had "failed." Ukraine's General Staff said on Sunday that fighting was taking place around Chasiv Yar and Toretsk Russia said on Friday that Toretsk had become a "powerful fortified area," and its control of the city "opens the way" for Russian forces to take control of the nearby settlement of Kostiantynivka Kostiantynivka is linked to Toretsk and the southern outskirts of Chasiv Yar by major highways and is one of the settlements dubbed a "fortress city," which are crucial to Ukraine's belt of defenses in the east said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had "recently marginally advanced" along the highway connecting Bakhmut and Kostiantynivka One of Russia's prominent military bloggers said Moscow would target Kostiantynivka and settlements around Kramatorsk and Sloviansk Moscow said on Friday that since the start of February Russian troops had seized three other settlements in Donetsk including the village of Druzhba on Toretsk's northeastern edge Russia's government also said its forces had captured a village in the northeastern Kharkiv region since February 1 Russia's Defense Ministry in a post to messaging app Telegram on Friday: "During five months of fighting for Dzerzhinsk our troops inflicted significant losses on the enemy The Armed Forces of Ukraine lost over 70 percent of the personnel of their group—this is more than 26,000 servicemen." Dzerzhinsk is how Russia refers to Toretsk Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsweek is committed to journalism that is factual and fair We value your input and encourage you to rate this article Newsletters in your inbox See all According to Ukrinform, the 24th OMBr shared footage of the failed Russian attack on Telegram the Russians attempted to break through with a column of armored vehicles advanced one after another toward the positions of the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade the Russian column got stuck in a 'traffic jam' – a cluster of destroyed vehicles blocked the crossing over the Canal Ukrainian soldiers destroyed 11 Russian vehicles the Russian forces used about 25 vehicles in the assault Preliminary enemy losses in manpower amounted to at least 33 soldiers killed and wounded there had been 80 combat engagements between Ukrainian defenders and Russian forces Brendan Cole is a Newsweek Senior News Reporter based in London He also covers other areas of geopolitics including China Brendan joined Newsweek in 2018 from the International Business Times and well as English You can get in touch with Brendan by emailing b.cole@newsweek.com or follow on him on his X account @brendanmarkcole John Feng is Newsweek's contributing editor for Asia based in Taichung He has covered foreign policy and defense matters especially in relation to U.S.-China ties and cross-strait relations between China and Taiwan John joined Newsweek in 2020 after reporting in Central Europe and the United Kingdom He is a graduate of National Chengchi University in Taipei and SOAS You can get in touch with John by emailing j.feng@newsweek.com Ukrainian troops have regained lost positions around Chasiv Yar as a map shows the latest state of play around the strategically important Donetsk city Russian forces have grouped forces in the city whose location on a hill overlooking the road towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk makes it a key target for Moscow's bid to control the whole of the Donetsk oblast The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Monday that Ukrainian forces had made progress in the center of Chasiv Yar as well as elsewhere in the Donetsk region Newsweek has contacted the Russian defense ministry by email for comment Ukraine's ability to hang on to Chasiv Yar has significant consequences for this part of the front especially after weeks of gradual Russian gains Russia is said to be building reserves opposite the city for more attacks Its strategic position has allowed Ukrainian forces to effectively hold it and inflict heavy losses on Russia The ISW said that geolocated footage on Monday showed elements of Russia's 98th Airborne (VDV) Division targeting Ukrainian troops in the center of central Chasiv Yar pro-Russian Telegram channels said Moscow troops had advanced in a district in the north of the city and seized the railway station although the ISW said there was no confirmation of these claims spokesperson for the Ukrainian Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops fighting in the area said Russia is amassing reserves opposite the city for further assault operations He noted its location overlooking the road towards the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk has allowed Ukrainian forces to effectively hold it and inflict heavy losses on Russia Russian forces are targeting a refractory materials plant but "Ukrainian soldiers are now defeating them and repelling their attacks," he said according to RBC Ukraine Trehubov said Monday that Russian forces are attacking Chasiv Yar's urban areas crossing the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas Canal and continuing to try to attack the refractory plant which is a key defensive position and that the intensity of Russian attacks on the facility have slightly decreased "Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions in central Chasiv Yar amid Russian forces continued offensive operations in the surrounding area," the ISW said on Monday One of its maps marked these Ukrainian gains as well as the claims by Russian sources Another map shows Ukrainian advances in northwestern Toretsk around 20 miles to the south and near Pokrovsk Newsweek's map also shows Russian advances near Kurakhove Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia groups said: "The city is effectively holding on." The ISW said on Monday: "Ukrainian forces recently regained lost positions in central Chasiv Yar amid Russian forces continued offensive operations in the surrounding area." Trehubov's comments suggest that Russia will continue its bid to storm Chasiv Yar "from there there is a direct road to Sloviansk-Kramatorsk." This shows that the fight for the control of Donetsk will continue into the New Year especially with Ukraine able to regain lost positions in Toretsk You don't have permission to access the page you requested What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed That’s according to the Khortystia grouping of troops The invaders hid the system in urban terrain among the buildings but our aerial reconnaissance not only spotted it but also spotted the attack by two kamikaze drones that effectively destroyed it," the report said An invader was also eliminated along with the ATV he used to move around the area a certain number of Russian army assault troops literally ‘burned out at work,’” the press service added citing the General Staff’s report as of March 19 Russia’s war casualty toll reached an estimated 898,070 including 1,060 killed or wounded in action in the past day Illustrative photo: Telegram / lost_warinua spokesperson for the Luhansk Operational-Tactical Group three combat engagements took place in the Chasiv Yar sector and the enemy carried out 129 attacks -- fewer than last week and in other sectors," Zaporozhets said the enemy is currently concentrating its forces in the northern part of Chasiv Yar "The enemy has created three passages in the Siverskyi Donets canal to divert our attention We need additional resources to control these passages using drones and remote mining," the spokesperson said the enemy actively used armored vehicles to deploy airborne troops in the southern part of Chasiv Yar "At least ten armored vehicles were destroyed in January the number of quad bikes for resupplying food they are actively using buggies across almost our entire operational zone as an alternative transport for deliveries," Zaporozhets said he said that artillery activity has decreased while enemy movement is being observed from the city center towards the Toretska and Tsentralna mines (north and south of the city) Ukraine's military said that Russian forces were attempting to build up their resources in the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal The 24th Mechanized Brigade posted a video of the repulsion of the enemy assault on Telegram According to the brigade, units of the Russian airborne troops tried to carry out a massive assault with six airborne combat vehicles Video: Official channel of the 24th separate mechanized brigade named after King Danylo Thanks to the prepared defense lines and coordinated actions the defenders managed to destroy four enemy armored vehicles As Ukrinform reported, urban fighting continues in Chasiv Yar. Russian troops are resorting to total destruction tactics there Russian forces are reportedly amassing reserves near the city and its surroundings in preparation for further assaults spokesperson for Ukraine's Khortytsia Group of Forces "There are battles in urban areas there but during this particular day -- since the morning of the previous day -- no clashes have been recorded in Chasiv Yar the Russians are currently accumulating reserves opposite the city and in its vicinity for further assault operations." Chasiv Yar holds significant strategic value due to its location on elevated terrain providing a vantage point over key routes leading to the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration This position allows Ukrainian forces to maintain control and inflict heavy losses on Russian troops attempting to advance the main battles continue along the Siversky Donets-Donbas canal the enemy is persistently trying to infiltrate the refractory materials plant Ukrainian soldiers are successfully inflicting damage and repelling these attacks," the spokesman added He noted that Chasiv Yar is not the only flashpoint in the region as simultaneous battles are underway in Toretsk with several dozen combat clashes occurring daily Dear Reader,Unfortunately our comment platform isn\'t available at the moment due to issues with our paywall and authentication vendor A Ukrainian official says Russian forces are bypassing a key stronghold in eastern Ukraine that they have fought for months to capture and are focusing instead on cutting supply lines to it Ukraine — Russian forces are bypassing a key stronghold in eastern Ukraine that they have fought for months to capture and are focusing instead on cutting supply lines to it Russian troops are going around the vital logistics hub of Pokrovsk where a steadfast Ukrainian defense has kept them at bay and are taking aim at a highway that leads from there to the central Ukraine city of Dnipro That route is crucial for supplies feeding Ukrainian forces in the entire region Cutting the highway traffic would also severely weaken Pokrovsk they have not achieved their goal and (Ukrainian forces) are working to ensure that they do not achieve it in the future — just as they have not been successful in other attempts to bypass the city,” Trehubov said in a WhatsApp message Ukraine’s army is under severe strain along parts of the approximately 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line especially in the eastern Donetsk region where Pokrovsk is located After almost three years of war, Ukrainian units are depleted and are outnumbered by Russian forces. Though its battlefield progress has been slow and costly, momentum in the war is in Russia’s favor and its onslaught has gradually swallowed up towns and villages In his daily video address to the nation late Sunday Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said fighting around Pokrovsk was “the most intense” in recent days Russian President Vladimir Putin is pressing his advantage ahead of U.S President-elect Donald Trump’s arrival in the White House next week Trump says he wants to bring a swift end to the war though he hasn’t publicized details of his plans Moscow illegally annexed the Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk regions which make up the economically important Donbas industrial area together with the southeastern provinces of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia But Russian forces don’t fully control any of them Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Spokesperson for the Luhansk Operational-Tactical Group the enemy actively carried out mortar shelling across the entire plant territory The enemy attempted in every way to destroy positions located on the plant’s premises deploying up to nine 'Molniya' drone systems," Zaporozhets said one building on the refractory plant’s territory was hit leading to a reduction in Russian activity This allowed the Ukrainian Defense Forces to reclaim positions at the site "The enemy is actively trying to take control of the refractory plant we are not allowing them to secure positions across the entire territory Consolidation requires a range of measures including controlling the area and setting up defensive actions the enemy does not have this capability," Zaporozhets added Earlier it was reported that the Russian forces in Chasiv Yar are using a tactic of total destruction of the town complicating defensive efforts and signaling that their primary goal is to seize territory As reported by Ukrinform, this was announced by the Commander of the National Guard, Brigadier General Oleksandr Pivnenko, on Telegram the Russians tried to break through with a column of armored vehicles The encounter was 'hot': our infantry and drone crews turned the invaders’ wheels into real hell," Pivnenko noted at least 10 units of equipment were destroyed or hit "Some of the invaders managed to dismount but that only delayed their inevitable meeting with our FPV drones The pilots have already finished the job," Pivnenko added soldiers of the Ukrainian Airborne Assault Forces took eight Russian soldiers prisoner in Kursk region by Nate Ostiller, The Kyiv Independent news deskAn aerial view of the ruined town of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast on July 3 (Kostiantyn Liberov/Libkos/Getty Images)Russian shelling in the front-line town of Chasiv Yar on Aug said Donetsk Oblast Governor Vadym Filashkin Shells struck a home and a high-rise building. Five men, aged 24-38, were killed as a result of the attack The town has been the scene of heavy fighting and has been repeatedly attacked by Russian forces since the beginning of the full-scale invasion Filashkin reiterated that civilians should evacuate the town Andrii Polukhin, a spokesperson for Ukraine's 24th Mechanized Brigade, said on Aug. 29 that the town has been "destroyed" in the fighting Russian forces have advanced over a key waterway in the eastern Ukrainian stronghold of Chasiv Yar marking a setback for Kyiv's embattled forces which had an estimated pre-war population of around 12,000 people sits on a strategic hilltop and its capture would likely speed Russian advances deeper in the war-battered Donetsk region "The enemy managed to break into our line of defense but there is no critical failure and we are not about to lose Chasiv Yar Fierce fighting continues now," a spokesman for Ukraine's 24th brigade told state-run media said that while Russian troops had crossed the canal on the eastern edge of the city Ukrainian troops were containing the advance Russian forces have been pushing against outnumbered Ukrainian forces in the Donetsk region which the Kremlin claims is part of Russia it would threaten some of the largest population centers in the industrial region There have been sporadic reports that Russian forces previously crossed the canal and Ukraine has claimed to have fought them back Russian drone and artillery attacks meanwhile killed five people in the northeastern Ukrainian regions of Sumy and Donetsk Sumy lies across the border from the Kursk region in Russia where Ukrainian troops launched a major offensive in August and have managed to hold large swathes of territory In the area of responsibility of the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group of Forces the Pokrovsk and Toretsk axes remain the most active where the Rusian forces continues its attempts to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk region This was stated on live television by Viktor Trehubov “The most active direction remains Pokrovsk although attacks continue there as well — currently every other day mostly in Vovchansk. In the Pokrovsk direction the intensity is very high — the Russians are trying to bypass the city from the west and reach the Pokrovsk–Kostiantynivka highway. In Toretsk the enemy is actively trying to advance in the Lyman and Kupiansk directions on both sides of the Oskil River they are conducting offensive operations; on the other they are trying to transfer forces,” said Trehubov Commenting on the situation near the Oskil River he noted that Russian troops are attempting to build a crossing to supply their forces: “They managed to transfer some forces while the river was still frozen Now they’re struggling to supply and support those troops effectively That’s why they are actively trying to build something more permanent there — not just using boats but establishing a more stable crossing,” he explained Trehubov emphasized that the Russian forces does not have many directions to maneuver if it wants to reach its main goal — the administrative borders of Donetsk region: “The Russians don’t have many viable directions to advance if they want to achieve their political objective — reaching Donetsk’s borders as it is within the region and key to controlling it they must try to take Toretsk and push toward the Kramatorsk–Sloviansk agglomeration They will also have to deal with Kostiantynivka if they want to achieve these goals,” he said He also pointed out that the logistics in the Pokrovsk direction are relatively convenient which is why the Russina forces keeps trying to approach the city: “Just because they have to do it doesn’t mean they’re succeeding,” Trehubov reassured this was stated on television by the spokesman for the Luhansk regional military unit Dmytro Zaporozhets “As for the situation in Chasiv Yar, the enemy is actively using the pipes of the Siversky Donets canal to hide in it during bad weather. Now in Donetsk region we often observe fog in the morning and the enemy is actively using this period of time to accumulate in these pipes and then move deeper into the city in the morning or at night,” said the spokesman operators of the Defense Forces' drones record enemy movements and try to use all possible means to destroy them “The number of positions held by the Defense Forces is decreasing but still the personnel of the Defense Forces continue to hold the town of Chasiv Yar And we are not talking about capturing the entire city Our drone operators are also actively destroying it,” said Zaporozhets He added that 430 enemy attacks were recorded in the Chasiv Yar area over the past day Zaporozhets also noted that the enemy did not record massive use of fiber-optic drones in the Luhansk operational area “As for the activity of fiber-optic drones we do not record massive use in the Luhansk operational area the occupants use drones almost continuously for reconnaissance destruction of positions and artillery adjustment “If we are talking about the number of uses we have already recorded more than 2,000 cases of using kamikaze drones in the direction and it doesn't make it easier for us,” said Zaporozhets The spokesman noted that the enemy's air superiority is only due to tactical aviation No mass movement of enemy personnel from other directions has been recorded so far As Ukrinform reported earlier 124 combat engagements between the Ukrainian Defense Forces and Russian invaders were recorded at the front yesterday He noted that the enemy was concentrating its main efforts on gathering personnel in various parts of the city to continue active assault operations "Now there is a period of buildup and concentration on the approaches to Chasiv Yar and regrouping within the city itself to prepare for further assault operations," Zaporozhets said the enemy did not use armored vehicles last week "They have been using more vehicles for logistical purposes which indicates that the enemy is preparing for further offensive operations in Chasiv Yar," Zaporozhets added The Donbas Special Forces Battalion of the 18th Sloviansk Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine released a video showing what the streets of Chasiv Yar now look like. The Ministry of Interior shared the footage on Facebook. Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Anastasia Teterevleva; editing by Guy Faulconbridge Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine’s army has retreated from a neighborhood in the outskirts of Chasiv Yar a strategically important town in the eastern Donetsk region that has been reduced to rubble under a monthslong Russian assault Chasiv Yar is a short distance west of Bakhmut which was captured by Russia last year after a bitter 10-month battle Russian forces have focused on capturing Chasiv Yar a town which occupies an elevated location Its fall would put nearby cities in jeopardy compromise critical Ukrainian supply routes and bring Russia closer to its stated aim of seizing the entire Donetsk region WATCH: Ukraine’s railroad workers play crucial role in creating a lifeline during war The Ukrainian army retreated from a northeastern neighborhood in the town the spokesperson for the Khortytsia ground forces formation told The Associated Press in a written message Thursday Ukraine’s defensive positions in the town were “destroyed,” he said adding that there was a threat of serious casualties if troops remained in the area and that Russia did not leave “a single intact building.” Months of relentless Russian artillery strikes have devastated Chasiv Yar and a town that once had a population of 12,000 has been left deserted commander of the 255 assault battalion which has been based in the area for six months said after Russian troops captured the neighborhood they burned every building not already destroyed by shelling Shyriaiev said Russia is deploying scorched-earth tactics in an attempt to destroy anything which could be used as a military position in a bid to force troops to retreat “I regret that we are gradually losing territory,” he said speaking by phone from the Chasiv Yar area “we cannot hold what is ruined.” Russian troops outnumber Ukrainians 10-to-1 in the area but Shyriaiev suggested that they have not been able to make significant progress in the past six months of active fighting The intensity of Russian strikes on Ukraine’s defensive line in the area of Chasiv Yar has increased over the last month Voloshyn said Russia has carried out nearly 1,300 strikes fired nearly 130 glide bombs and made 44 ground assaults Other Russian attacks in recent weeks have focused on capturing nearby settlements that would allow them to advance to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk the biggest cities in the Ukrainian-controlled part of the Donetsk region Ukrainian commanders in the area say their resources remain stretched largely due to a monthslong gap in military assistance from the United States which threw Ukraine’s military onto the defensive “We are determined to hold on to the end,” said the commander who has been fighting on the front line since the outbreak of the war the governor of the northern Chernihiv region said Russia launched 22 drones over Ukraine last night One hit a power infrastructure facility in the northern Chernihiv region leaving nearly 6,000 customers without electricity Russia is continually targeting Ukraine’s badly damaged energy infrastructure resulting in hours of rolling blackouts across the country Ukrainian officials have warned that the situation may worsen as winter approaches © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins Russia said Sunday that its forces had captured the eastern Ukrainian village of Orikhovo-Vasylivka near the strategic military hub of Chasiv Yar that Moscow is attempting to seize There is intensive fighting in the frontline town of Chasiv Yar one of the last remaining urban areas blocking Russia from advancing further into the region The Russian Defense Ministry said in a daily briefing that "as a result of decisive attack actions the South group of troops liberated the settlement of Orekhovo-Vasilevka in the Donetsk region," using the Russian name for the village Orikhovo-Vasylivka is located around 10 kilometres (six miles) north of Chasiv Yar and near the road to the Ukraine-held city of Sloviansk The latest advance comes as Russian troops are pushing further into the Donetsk region They claimed the key mining town of Toretsk on Friday while Ukraine denies Moscow troops are in full control there said Sunday that it had repelled attacks in the areas of Chasiv Yar and Toretsk and shot down a Russian military jet near Toretsk Russia had attacked six regions with 151 drones of which it shot down 70 while a further 74 were lost "without negative consequences." Russia's Defense Ministry said it had destroyed 35 Ukrainian drones overnight and one in the northwestern Leningrad region on Sunday morning This was reported on Telegram by the Khortytsia Grouping of Troops, Ukrinform saw. With the support of artillery, the Russians continue to storm positions in the Kramatorsk and Toretsk directions. Heavy fighting continues in the urban areas of Chasiv Yar and Toretsk. Almost 140 artillery rounds were fired at the Defense Forces' fortifications in Chasiv Yar, and more than 80 in Toretsk. In the area of ​​Bila Hora, the enemy launched an attack with armored support. Ukrainian UAVs destroyed a Russian tank and infantry fighting vehicles, also damaging another tank and two armored personnel carriers. In the direction of Shcherbynivka, the invaders employed motor vehicles to deliver personnel to the combat line. A convoy of five such vehicles was destroyed on the approach to the line of advance, the Khortytsia Grouping of Troops reported. In the Kharkiv direction, the Defense Forces successfully repelled enemy attacks in Vovchansk. In the Kupiansk direction, Russian troops stormed Ukrainian positions near Dvorichna, Nova Kruhliakivka and Pishchane, and in the Lyman direction, the enemy attacked in the areas of Novoyehorivka, Kopanky, Makiivka, Terny, Zelena Dolyna, Zarichne, and Kolodiaz. The Ukrainian forces lost no ground in the area. Russia’s offensive efforts near ​​Bilohorivka in the Siversk axis saw no gains. The Pokrovsk direction remains the hottest on the entire line of combat, the Khortytsia Grouping of Troops reported. The enemy ran offensive missions, mainly without armored support, in the areas of Vodiane Druhe, Zelene Pole, Yelyzavetivka, Myroliubivka, Sukhyi Yar, Udachne, Kotliarivka, Uspenivka, Preobrazhenka, Bohdanivka, Dachne, and Ulakly. Heavy fighting continued in the settlements of Lysivka, Kotlyne, Zelene, Nadiivka, Shevchenko, and Yantarne. The defense forces are inflicting significant losses on Russian manpower and equipment. Measures are being taken to prevent the deterioration of the tactical situation. In the Novopavlivka direction, the Russian army attacked in Velyka Novosilka and in the area of ​​Kostiantynopil and Rozdolne. Heavy defensive battles are in progress. As Ukrinform reported earlier, citing the spokesman for the Khortytsia grouping of troops as saying, Russian troops are trying to bypass Pokrovsk from the west. On Jan. 29, Russian state-run news agency TASS published a report titled “Akhmat Fighter: Ukrainian Troops with U.S. Flags Killed in Chasiv Yar Were Mercenaries.” The article states: Batukaev’s story appears implausible All AFU soldiers are required to carry an identification tag with their name It is highly unlikely that all of the fallen soldiers he describes somehow did not have their tags — which are crucial in case of severe injury in order to determine their blood type for transfusions Yet while the soldiers supposedly all lacked identification tags Batukaev would have us believe they were all sporting American flags It is also unclear why he assumes soldiers would carry their national flag at all times Yet he concludes that there were no Ukrainians among them precisely because they were not found with Ukrainian flags according to Batukaev’s own account but the prisoners — who “don’t fully understand what they are fighting for” — were Ukrainians Batukaev presumably would have specified which countries these “mercenaries” came from Two days earlier, Akhmat commander Apti Alaudinov claimed that “Russian assault troops seized a NATO generals' bunker in Chasiv Yar,” which had been destroyed by an Iskander missile strike in March 2024 but was somehow rebuilt despite being made up of “massive underground concrete bunkers.” We really need your help! 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