Sitting in a steamy kitchen, Ukrainian soldier Anton was ready to go on a new rotation to defend Chasiv Yar, a strategic town for troops fighting for control of the eastern Donbas region.
After a year of mostly-frozen front line, Russian forces are pushing against a Ukrainian army struggling with manpower and ammunition shortages amid delays in Western aid.
Determined to build on recent gains, Russian forces are aiming to seize the dominant heights of Chasiv Yar.
The town lies some 20 kilometres (12 miles) west of Bakhmut, which Russia seized last May after months of brutal battles.
"If Russians take Chasiv Yar, the door to other cities will open... so it's important to block them there," 40-year-old Anton said.
From Chasiv Yar's heights, they would have a powerful foothold and be able to target cities downhill: first Kramatorsk and then, potentially, Sloviansk.
The two civilian hubs hold a symbolic value for Moscow: a decade ago, pro-Russian separatists briefly seized the cities in the first clashes with Kyiv.
Now on the front line, Chasiv Yar lies down the road from Bakhmut.
In that direction, Anton said Russia is using "a lot of manpower, quite a lot of ammunition, there is constant aviation and artillery work."
For now, the soldier from the 5th Assault Brigade said his unit was "managing to hold on."
- 'Fiercest fighting' -
Ukrainian and Russian military bloggers said Friday Russian troops had reached the town's outskirts.
But Ukraine's army chief Oleksandr Syrsky said Saturday "Chasiv Yar remains under our control, all enemy attempts to break through the settlement have failed."
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He said the town was seeing some of the "fiercest fighting" with Russian troops "trying to break" its defences.
The head of Chasiv Yar Sergiy Chaus refused to comment on military matters but told AFP the situation had become more dangerous in the last two weeks.
"They used to be moments when you could hear silence in the city, now there is no silence... There is constant fire," Chaus said.
Soldiers wounded in Chasiv Yar could now struggle to get emergency care.
Reaching a stabilisation point -- which provides basic treatment before evacuation -- may become impossible.
The last known stabilisation point was recently moved out of the city for safety reasons.
A medic in the relocated facility told AFP evacuation teams were not going into Chasiv Yar anymore as it was too dangerous.
"If they (wounded soldiers) are taken out, they are taken out by car," 24-year-old Nadiya, a medic, said.
She said she saw wounded soldiers walk for hours "because there was no other option to get out of those positions."
- 'Finish you off' -
Just back from a rotation near the hotspot city, 25-year-old Sergiy said the situation in Chasiv Yar was "much harder now."
The 5th Assault Brigade soldier nicknamed Moped, had dark circles around his eyes that he often rubbed.
"Many drones have started working now. Both Mavics and First Person View drones, all working both day and night," he said.
His comrade Yegor -- call-sign Zhiguli -- said the drones were more precise, making them scarier than artillery.
"The drone will keep flying until it takes you out or falls near you, to maim you until another one comes," the 27-year-old said.
"The first one cripples you, the second one drops and finishes you off."
Yegor said Russian troops were using their resources more rationally than in battles at the start of their invasion in 2022.
Bogdan, a 21-year-old soldier, agreed.
"They're learning, they've learned, they're not stupid... it's not the same army as in 2022."
- 'Sit in these ruins' -
But some strategies remain the same, soldiers said, with the destruction of Chasiv Yar reminiscent of previous Russian battles that left cities flattened.
"They destroy everything and then sit by themselves in these ruins," Sergiy said.
The head of the city Sergiy Chaus said "there is not a single intact building left."
Around 770 residents remain in the city, compared to 13,000 people before the war, he told AFP.
For soldier Sergiy, the capture of Chasiv Yar would subject populations downhill to increased shelling.
"There are people, there are children (there). And as long as (Chasiv Yar) is holding up, they continue to live there."
A dozen kilometres from Chasiv Yar, in Kostyantynivka, a local told AFP he feared Russian advances.
Sitting on a bench outside his home, Andriy Komarystov said he had nowhere to go and had to help his mother and elderly neighbours.
"They will plant potatoes and weed their garden in any case. And won't go anywhere," he said, petting a black dog named Mouse.
"We will sit here until the end. And if we get hit, we get hit, that's it."
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Comments (4)
If every there was a case for a modicum of western military help it is in Chasiv Yar. How about a battalion of French paratroopers now, before it is too late.
A big thank you to Biden and other western leader for their cowardise and duplicity.
@nobody,
Yet no better options exist.
We know what a putinrump lead administration would have done. NOTHING!!!
As per MRGA's putintrumps own words he would "encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want”. At the start of putin's invasion he lavished praise on him calling him a "genius" and stated that putin invading Ukraine was "wonderful". He presently commands his MRGA minions in the USA House to stall further aid to Ukraine. He also states if relected he would "not spend a penny" helping Ukraine.
Thank goodness more sane minds were at the helm in the USA during this crisis. Biden's administration provided Ukraine with key advance warning of the invasion and helped ramp up allied support early in the war. He might need to live with his administration's fear based delays of providing certain very useful weapons earlier, but he certainly spent every dollar available to him so far towards Ukraine's support. As he requested an additional aid package be approved by congress Biden even agreed to bundle in Senate Republican requested border fixes. They approved this aid. But then putinrump told his MRGA minions to stall this in the House perpetrating a border crisis was supportive of his hate campaign and he did not want Biden's government to have a chance to fix that.
In short putin and putinrump = the devil.
You agree Mr. Nobody right?
@John, no. I voted for Trump twice and will vote for him again as he is the only choice.
@NOBODY, I truly believe you wold if you were able to, as putinrump and putler share the same playbook, false propaganda networks and desired end goal....destabilize the USA so it falls into chaos.
Did you hear in the news today about the large group of top US military leaders writing the SCOTUS to not grant putinrump's ludicrous request for 'presidential immunity' for all his past crimes and insurrection related activities. They said that would be a threat to democracy and US national security. It would force them to obey an enemy aligned presidential imposter over their American constitutional obligations. Wow....even the top leadership of the USA military wants putinrump in jail (or hung for treason?)
Also at least 24 of his former top White House hires also are on record as saying he is at best a narcissistic idiot or more likely a huge threat to US democracy. Even his former VP indicates putinrump wanted him to commit treason against the USA.
I can see how those traits would be appealing for a MRGA troll doing putters bidding. Good thing russian trolls can't vote in US elections.
770 residents remain in this lastest frontline city Chasiv Yar. Some have nowhere else to go. Elderly mostly, but also family members that care for them. Children even.
I wonder how russian mother's reconcile that their own sons are the murderers of Ukraine's innocents. Is it possible to still be oblivious >2 years into putin's murderous invasion? What is it like for Russian's to wake up each day knowing the world despises hates their nation that much more.
Meanwhile the MRGA trolls show up here each day to absolve their murderous thug leadership. They blame these murders on the victims themselves saying essentially: 'if only the Ukrainians did not want to live in peace in their own country, we would not have to kill them'....followed by equally ludicrous lies that it's anyone else's fault other then their own nations.
To call russian trolls, soldiers and leadership animals, would unfairly insult animals. They are what they were termed at the commencement of this war: mindless bloodthirsty orcs. That will be the legacy of the country once known as russia. We live in an era where everything they have done will be accurately recorded and stored in perpetuity.
Ukrainian's draw their courage from the knowledge they protect the loved ones and innocents in their nation. They have the worlds respect and its continued support.
Godspeed Ukrainian soldiers in your courageous mission.
The Russian army lost 45 thousand soldiers to take bakhmut and this is unsustainable for the Russian modern czaror Caesar...This is why they are rationing their ammunition ...You have drones with night vision Ukraine and artificial intelligence to conduct operations ...
The West is delaying weapon delivery not only because of escalation fear but Russian Gold and Petro Dollar have a say in political status quo and economic relationships...Keep faith in God strong and miracles that transforms everything may happen ... Leaders know when to withdraw tacticly and when to hold ...