Russian troops are advancing in Chasiv Yar
A canal in Chassiv Yar, Ukraine, has long formed a natural defensive line for the Ukrainians. However, Russian troops are now operating west of the waterway as well. Elsewhere, fighting is also intense. Ukraine reports dozens of separate skirmishes on the eastern and southern fronts.
Russian troops are reportedly making further advances in the strategically important eastern Ukrainian town of Chassiv Yar, where the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas Canal had previously served as a natural defensive line for the Ukrainers.
Military bloggers report that Russian units have crossed the canal at several points and are trying to establish a foothold in the town. The U.S. Institute for the Study of War also wrote that Russian troops were operating west of the canal. The Ukrainians had already abandoned the eastern part of the town, beyond the canal, in July. The Ukrainian General Staff only mentioned the fighting in Chassiv Yar in general terms in its situation reports. Overall, there have been 140 separate skirmishes on the eastern and southern fronts of Ukraine since Saturday morning, indicating intense fighting.
Chassiv Yar, located in the Donetsk region west of the city of Bakhmut, which was captured by Russia in 2023 after months of heavy fighting, has since served as a bulwark securing important cities in the Ukrainian rear such as Kostiantynivka and Kramatorsk.
In the ground fighting in the east and south, the Ukrainian army has been on the defensive for a long time and has had to withdraw from several places in recent weeks. The opening of a second front by Russia near the major city of Kharkiv in May forced Ukraine to redeploy troops there, leaving other front sections short-staffed. However, the Russian army has still not achieved a breakthrough in its summer offensive.
Meanwhile, Ukraine's air force claims to have repelled all five incoming Russian combat drones overnight, but not two Kh-59 cruise missiles. There were no reports on their target. Ukraine's railway reported damage to its rail network in the Poltava region due to Russian shelling. Ukraine has been fending off a large-scale Russian invasion for nearly two and a half years, relying on military aid from Western countries.
The European Union has expressed its concern over the escalating conflict in Ukraine, urging for a peaceful resolution and adherence to international law. The European Union has also provided humanitarian aid and economic support to Ukraine during this time.
