Russian Forces Fail to Secure Fire Control or Establish Bridgehead in Chasiv Yar, Ukraine Says

Russian troops do not have fire control over the town of Chasiv Yar, in the Donetsk region, and they have been unable to establish a bridgehead, Oleh Kalashnikov, press officer of the 26th Artillery Brigade, told Espresso TV.

“The town is indeed under fire, but it cannot be said that the enemy controls Chasiv Yar through fire damage,” Kalashnikov said.

“Our defense lines run along the Siversky Donets-Donbas canal, and these positions are being held. The occupiers cannot cross them or establish a bridgehead anywhere,” he added.

Chasiv Yar, a strategic location in Donbas, has been a focal point of heavy fighting. Russian forces attempted to breach Ukrainian defenses near the town to advance to another sector but were unsuccessful. Unable to outflank Chasiv Yar, they launched frontal assaults, suffering significant losses, according to Kalashnikov.

He highlighted that Chasiv Yar is located on a ridge dominating the surrounding area, giving Ukrainian forces a tactical advantage.

“The town itself is on a hill, allowing control over the lowlands below. When the enemy began their assaults, it was very effective to strike from above. Today, Chasiv Yar acts as a fortress protecting the surrounding agglomeration of towns – Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, Druzhkivka, Kostyantynivka,” Kalashnikov said.

According to him, Ukrainian forces also control the logistics routes from this elevated position. “The northern flank of the Pokrovsk sector is also being covered from here, preventing the enemy from advancing and striking our positions,” he added.

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Kalashnikov also reported that Ukrainian forces continue to hold the Klishchiivka and Andriivka settlements, despite their destruction by Russian forces.

According to DeepState analysts, the most recent changes to the battle line in Chasiv Yar occurred in early August. On Aug. 30, Andriy Polukhin, a spokesperson for the 24th Separate Mechanized Brigade, retracted an earlier statement claiming that Russian troops controlled 40 percent of Chasiv Yar.

Polukhin clarified that his initial calculation was mistaken and explained that Russian troops control only part of Chasiv Yar up to the Kanal district. This position prevents Russian forces from approaching Ukrainian units undetected.

Polukhin warned that if Chasiv Yar were to fall, Russian forces would gain a tactical advantage due to the elevated terrain, which overlooks the cities of Kostyantynivka, Druzhkivka, and Kramatorsk, along with the key logistical routes connecting them.

Chasiv Yar, located 10 km from Bakhmut and 65 km from Donetsk, had a pre-war population of about 14,000. Intense fighting has devastated the town, similar to Bakhmut and Avdiivka. “These are just ruins,” Polukhin said.

In early July, Ukrainian forces withdrew from the Kanal microdistrict in Chasiv Yar due to the destruction of defensive positions, which posed a threat to soldiers’ lives, Nazar Voloshyn, spokesperson for the Khortytsia operational and strategic group of troops, told Kyiv Post.

Reports from mid-June indicated that Russian forces were advancing toward Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk, a crucial rail hub where the fighting was most intense. The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) units withdrew to more secure positions.

DeepState analysts reported that while holding the Kanal had been advantageous when Russian forces were advancing, staying in the ruins would have only increased Ukrainian losses due to logistical challenges.