Ukrainian Army Commander Oleksandr Sersky confirmed on Saturday that his forces still control the town of Chasiv Yar in the east of the country, despite attempts by Russian forces to penetrate its defenses.
Sirsky said on the Telegram application on Saturday: “Chasev Yar is still under our control, and the enemy’s attempts to storm the town have failed.” Any rapid Russian advance on Chasiv Yar would be a grim setback for Kiev.
On Friday, the Russian Information Agency quoted an official as saying that Russian forces had entered the outskirts of the town, which Moscow considers an important starting point for Ukrainian forces. The Ukrainian army said the report was incorrect.
Chasev Yar is a heavily fortified town with a pre-war population of 12,200 people, located west of the Russian-occupied city of Bakhmut.
On the other hand, the governor of the Ukrainian region of Zaporizhya, Ivan Fedorov, announced that Russia fired five missiles today, Friday, at the city of Zaporizhya in the south of the country, killing at least four, wounding 20, and causing damage to several residential buildings and industrial facilities.
Reuters TV footage showed journalists rushing to help their injured colleagues on the ground before emergency teams arrived. “What distinguishes today’s attacks is that first, there were two missile attacks, then about 40 minutes later, two more attacks occurred on the same place as rescuers and police began working,” Fedorov told national television.
Fedorov stated that damage was caused to at least three residential buildings, 10 private homes, shops, and an industrial facility that he did not specify.
Pictures from the site published by Fedorov and the Interior Ministry showed smashed windows in a café and a small shop.
The Ukrainian Air Force issued a warning about ballistic missiles in the region, part of which Russia controls, and Moscow has recently intensified the use of ballistic missiles that are difficult to intercept.
Officials also said: Russia carried out a new raid on Kharkiv, the second largest Ukrainian city, early Saturday, killing six civilians and wounding ten.
Russian forces are slowly advancing in eastern Ukraine, after seizing the fortified town of Avdiivka last February. Ukrainian forces are trying to fortify themselves in the face of a long-term shortage of artillery shells, with US aid remaining subject to Congressional approval.