Why is Russia attempting to seize the Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar?

Russian paratroopers have advanced to the eastern edge of the Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, with the goal of capturing it by May 9, the date when Russia commemorates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany. Despite the Kremlin not officially acknowledging this deadline, Russian forces are relentlessly attacking the town’s defenders with artillery, drones, and air strikes.

Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine’s top commander, has expressed concerns about the deteriorating situation on the battlefield in the east. However, Ukrainian brigades in Chasiv Yar are currently holding off the assaults and have received reinforcements in the form of ammunition, drones, and electronic warfare devices.

If Russian forces succeed in taking control of Chasiv Yar, they would gain a strategic advantage, allowing them to launch direct offensives against several Ukrainian “fortress cities.” Russian troops have reportedly been contacting their Ukrainian counterparts in the town, demanding surrender or face destruction by guided aerial bombs.

With warmer weather approaching, Kyiv is anxious about a potential major offensive by Russia across the lengthy frontline. Chasiv Yar, located in the industrial Donbas area, has been a focal point of the conflict, with its pre-war population of over 12,000 significantly reduced. The town’s economy centered around a factory producing reinforced concrete products and refractory clay.

As tensions escalate, the fate of Chasiv Yar hangs in the balance, with both Ukrainian and Russian forces preparing for a protracted and challenging battle for control of the town. The outcome of this conflict could have far-reaching implications for the ongoing war in Ukraine.