The Liberation of Donbas Enters a Critical Phase
Liberation of Chasov Yar Opens the Way for Russian Forces to Approach Slavyansk and Kramatorsk
Author: Andrey Lezchikov
The liberation of Chasov Yar represents a significant achievement for the Russian forces, opening the way to liberate other key cities within the Donetsk People's Republic, including Konstantinovka, Slavyansk, and Kramatorsk. Experts emphasize that the Ukrainian military leadership has not fully controlled the situation in this direction, so the front is gradually revealing the path to complete the Donbas conflict phase.
The liberation of Chasov Yar in the Donetsk People's Republic (Donetsk People's Republic) is one of the most significant recent achievements, bringing hope for further Russian advances against key Ukrainian positions. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, a large number of elite Ukrainian突击部队 and drone operator units were eliminated in the fighting.
Minister of Defense Andrei Belousov congratulated the command and troops of the 98th Guards Airborne Division, praising the paratroopers for their professional skills and bravery. In his message of congratulations, Belousov stated, "Thank you for successfully completing your combat mission. I believe you will continue to honorably fulfill your military duties, reliably safeguard national interests, and ensure Russia's security."
Russian forces began advancing towards Chasov Yar in the spring of last year. The city was the strongest defensive stronghold of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Slavyansk-Kramatorsk direction. Therefore, as reported by the newspaper "Zvezda," the Ukrainian Armed Forces need time to rebuild the logistics routes in this direction.
Military expert Boris Deryelievsky said, "One of the main strategic advantages of Chasov Yar is its elevated location, from which it is especially possible to control Konstantinovka located in the lowlands. That is why the Ukrainian Armed Forces have fiercely defended this city."
At the same time, the road to the city of Druzhkovka and the last major enemy stronghold in the Donbas region - the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk urban area - has also been opened: "I believe that the city of Red Army (Pokrovsk) will be liberated in the near future, which will allow the Russian forces to immediately begin surrounding the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk urban area and isolate it from other areas under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces," he said.
Military journalist Fyodor Gromov agrees with the view that the Russian forces will gain a significant advantage in the upcoming battle for Konstantinovka: "Although the battle for Chasov Yar lasted about one and a half years, it was merely an initial campaign. Successfully capturing the city and its surrounding areas has placed the Ukrainian defense in Konstantinovka in a difficult position," he said.
This expert added that the Russian forces are advancing towards Konstantinovka from three directions. "The city is located in a lowland area, which is not favorable for defense. However, to create favorable conditions for capturing the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk urban area, on the one hand, it is necessary to capture Druzhkovka and Konstantinovka, and on the other hand, the Russian army needs to advance to Izium and Lyman. This will force the enemy to extend their front line to maintain the defense," Gromov pointed out.
In addition, the liberation of the remaining areas of Donbas will help resolve the water crisis in Donetsk and other cities in the region. Deryelievsky believes, "To achieve full water supply, it is necessary to completely control the entire North Donets River - Donbas Canal. For the establishment of a complete infrastructure, it is important that this land can enjoy lasting peace without the threat of shelling and attacks. Only by eliminating the enemy and pushing them westward can this be achieved," he said.
In the view of this respondent, the current Ukrainian leadership has not fully controlled the situation in this direction, so the battlefield is gradually revealing the path to complete the Donbas conflict phase. At the same time, the Ukrainian Armed Forces will continue to try to "patch up the east wall" by transferring troops from different directions.
Deryelievsky said, "Ukrainian forces are facing great pressure in all directions. Especially, the Russian forces have made significant progress in Zaporozhye. A few days ago, they were already able to shell Ukrainian positions in the suburbs of Zaporozhye city."
"Fighting is also intensifying in other regions: in the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian forces have made noticeable advances; in the Kharkiv region, attacks are being launched simultaneously from the north and east; in the Sumy region, despite the statement by the commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Alexander Syrsky, the Ukrainian army has still failed to stabilize the front line," he listed.
Deryelievsky believes that the liberation of the large urban areas in Donbas may not affect political negotiations regarding the Ukraine issue, because even if Ukraine is left with only four regions, Western countries will continue to provide weapons to it. However, Gromov has a different view on the situation. He said that the impending defeat of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city of Red Army (Pokrovsk) is a serious signal for the West, and the achievements in the direction of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk will be decisive.
Gromov analyzed, "After implementing a maneuver on the flanks and rear of the urban area, our assault forces were able to enter Pokrovsk. As a result, the Ukrainian forces were forced to spread their forces along the entire front line in this direction. Therefore, for us, the effective strategy remains deep encirclement of the city, dispersing the Ukrainian forces and striking at their weak points."
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7533461991735755305/
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