Russia said Thursday that he captured a key Ukrainian city after more than 16 months of intense fight, while unleashing a deadly assault of seven -hour cannons to kyiv that did not offer indications of accepting the demands of President Donald Trump to put an end to his war.
A Ukrainian military spokesman denied Moscow’s claims that he had captured Chasiv Yar, saying that Russian troops had only lifted their flag on a part of the strategically important city they had occupied months ago.
The Russian Defense Ministry announced its capture in a brief statement, another sign that the Kremlin shows little appetite for the high fire that Trump has demanded.
On Tuesday, Trump, whose historical warmth towards Putin has cooled significantly in recent weeks, said he would begin to impose rates and other measures in Moscow if I did not agree with a peace plan in 10 days.
While Russia declared the victory in Chasiv Yar, he was launching hundreds of drones and missiles in Ukrainian civilians in kyiv. He shot at least 308 drones and eight cruise missiles, according to the Ukraine Armed Forces. Most of these were shot down, but more than two dozen reached their goal, he said.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that at least six people had been killed, including a 6 -year -old boy.
“Today, the world saw Russia’s response again to our desire for peace with the United States and Europe: new demonstrative murders,” he said in his night speech. He said that “Peace without strength is impossible,” reiterating his mantra of the war that Ukraine needs more weapons “forcing Moscow to peace” and “making them sit at a real negotiation table.”
Ukraine denies that the key city has fallen
With a population before the war of only 12,000, Chasiv Yar is today in ruins after more than a year of wear war between the Russian and Ukraine invaders. Its importance owes its key position to the cities of key “strength” in the Donetsk region, including Kostiantynynivka, Sloviansk and Kramorsk.
Victor Trygbov, spokesman for the Ukraine troops in the Khortytsia region, denied that Russia would have obtained the key benefit.
“As usual, once again they raised a flag in the busy part of the city, which they took about half a year ago,” he said, while spreading “false information that control the entire city.”
It was not possible to immediately verify the statements of any of the parties.
NBC News has visited Chasiv Yar several times before, even in February 2024 when its remaining residents expressed frustration for what they saw as an insufficient amount of help that the West contributed.
A piece of graffiti in the city said: “We are not asking too much. We only need artillery and aviation shells. We rest it,” he signed: “Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
The Ukrainians do not see this as a beneficial organization: for them, and many of their supporters in the United States and Europe, the struggle of Ukraine against Russia is synonymous with the broader struggle to contain the anti-western aggression of President Vladimir Putin.
“During the last two years I got used to maintaining my emotions inside, but sometimes you just want to shout,” said the mayor of the city, Serhiy Chaus, at that time of his frustrations in the face of this perceived insufficient support.
Daryna Mayer and Reuters contributed.
