The Russians Began Assaulting Chasiv Yar 10 Months Ago. Ukraine Still Holds It

Ten months ago tomorrow, on April 4, 2024, soon after they had taken Bakhmut (which took them two and half years and over 100,000 killed or wounded), Russian forces began assaulting Chasiv Yar, 15 kilometers to Bakhmut's west. They are still attempting to take it - but appear no closer to doing so. JL

Decimus reports in Daily Kos:

The battle for Chasiv Yar, a mere 15Km by road from Bakhmut, began on April 4, 2024. It is now January 1, 2025.  And Chasiv Yar, despite tremendous exertions by the Russians, still stands. In fact, in the past few days the Ukrainians have regained parts of the area which Russia had occupied. A battle in the dense urban environment affords the defense advantages that Russian assault forces do not enjoy. Chasiv Yar and Toretsk(also in Donetsk oblast) are  giving the Russians all they can handle.  And the Russians haven’t even gotten close to Kramatorsk and Slavyansk yet. 

It took Putin, Prigozhin and his Wagner PMC and the Russian armed forces 2 years, 4 months and 4 days to finally overcome the Ukrainian defenses at Bakhmut.  Soon thereafter the battle for the nearby city of Chasiv Yar, a mere 15Km by road from Bakhmut, began. 

It is now January 1, 2025 in Ukraine.  And Chasiv Yar, despite tremendous exertions by the Russians, still stands. In fact reports in the past few days indicate that the Ukrainians have regained parts of the area which Russia had occupied.

www.newsweek.com/…

More here:

understandingwar.org/…

The battle for Chasiv Yar , in perhaps an oversimplification of the situation, has become somewhat of a see-saw affair, with the Ukrainians backing off when they deem necessary into their well-developed defenses to regroup, reassess and refit then pushing the Russians back.  And a battle in the dense heavily built up urban environment affords the defense advantages that the oncoming assaulting forces do not enjoy.  Russia’s preponderant advantages in mechanized forces and even the vaunted glide bombs have limited currency and purchase in such a situation. Ukraine’s rapidly evolving prowess in robotic warfare( e.g. the recently reported successful all robotic combined arms assault on Russian forces on the Kharkiv front) minimizes and or negates some more of Russia’s advantages such as artillery as hunter FPVs are now roaming overhead and watching all attack vectors day and night.

 

www.yahoo.com/…

It’s been variously reported that Vladimir Putin wants his forces to hurry up and capture the reminder of the Donbas not under Russian control before Donald Trump re-enters the White House.  To which I believe General Syrskyi and the Сухопутні війська Збройних сил України(Ukrainian Ground Forces) will collectively and emphatically answer безглуздя!(nonsense!).

Pokrovsk gets all the ink right now but Chasiv Yar and Toretsk(also in Donetsk oblast) are  giving the Russians all they can handle and then some.  And the Russians haven’t even gotten close to Kramatorsk and Slavyansk yet.  The Donbas still remains UKRAINE.