Siege of Chasiv Yar: Russia escalates aerial bombings in strategic push
The conflict in the Donetsk region of Ukraine intensifies as Russian forces focus their efforts on capturing Chasiv Yar. Daily, the city faces an estimated 20-30 aerial bombings from Russian planes. "The Russians aim to obliterate everything and seize the remnants," a Ukrainian army spokesperson stated.
12:09 PM EDT, April 18, 2024
Russian military continues its campaign to take over the city, utilizing guided aerial bombs, missile projectiles, and heavy artillery, according to Lieutenant Colonel Nazar Voloshyn, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian Operational-Strategic Group Chortyca, on Thursday.
Russians leveraging their superiority
Voloshyn highlighted that Russian forces are currently applying significant pressure toward Bakhmut. Despite the challenging situation around Chasiv Yar, Ukrainian defense units maintain control, with no enemy forces within the city.
"However, the Russians are still exploiting their air superiority, along with missile and heavy artillery ammunition, to conduct assault operations," Voloshyn reported in an interview with Ukrainian television.
Relentless aerial bombardment
The spokesman revealed that Russian forces, aided by combat infantry vehicles and reconnaissance and attack drones, launched assaults on Chasiv Yar, deploying KAB-type bombs that devastated civilian infrastructure.
Russian aviation relentlessly targets the city daily, with an estimated 20-30 bombs dropped on the positions of Ukrainian defenders and civilian facilities. Voloshyn stressed that the Russian strategy involves the "total destruction of settlements and seizing control over the ruins."
The frontlines have recently witnessed an intensification, although not escalating significantly. The areas around Bakhmut and Avdiivka are notably tense, where Russian forces are attempting to breach Ukrainian positions, as per the spokesperson.
"Russian armed forces are employing artillery, tanks, drones of various types and classes, and aviation, aiming to push towards the administrative borders of the Donetsk region," Voloshyn highlighted.
Strategic advancements could shift control
The American Institute for the Study of War suggests that Russian control over Chasiv Yar could pave the way for an offensive towards Kostiantynivka, a strategic target in the Donbas operation.
Securing these areas could potentially facilitate an assault on Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two pivotal cities in Donbas still under Kyiv's jurisdiction.
