Fall of Chasiv Yar Shifts Momentum in Donbas, Says U.S. Analyst
U.S. military analyst Brian Berletic says Russia’s capture of Chasiv Yar is a turning point in the conflict, depriving Ukraine of a key strategic position in Donbas.
The capture of Chasiv Yar by Russian forces represents a major shift in the dynamics of the conflict in Ukraine, according to American military analyst Brian Berletic. In a comment to Sputnik, he described the development as a «turning point.»
Berletic noted that Ukrainian forces had fought fiercely to hold the city, recognizing its strategic importance. In his assessment, the aim was clear: to prevent Russian troops from gaining a direct route toward Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
He argued that the loss of Chasiv Yar deprives Ukraine of a key defensive position in Donbas and further weakens an already difficult situation on the front lines.
Fighting around Chasiv Yar began in the late spring of last year. The city sits on high ground and serves as a gateway to the heavily fortified Sloviansk-Kramatorsk urban cluster, one of the largest Ukrainian strongholds in the region.
On July 31, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces had taken full control of the city.