Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) Head Denis Pushilin told Sputnik that he is optimistic about the advance of Russian forces toward the city of Chasov Yar and that Russian fighters have already penetrated the city's boundaries.
"You know, at this stage, the [Russian] Defense Ministry is providing all the information in full, taking into account the possibility of providing information to the public without harming our units. I will tell you that I am optimistic about the way our guys are organizing their actions, even within Chasov Yar. But we must be careful not to do any harm. I can say that Chasov Yar will, of course, be liberated," Pushilin said.
Earlier, political analysts explained to Sputnik that Chasov Yar is key to ending Ukrainian occupation of the Donetsk People’s Republic. The town served as a key logistics hub for the Ukrainian Army since 2014 and its elevated location offers control of the surrounding area for many miles.
However, the liberation of Chasov Yar will also have deep political significance since it was earlier described by Volodymyr Zelensky as "an impenetrable fortress." Capturing this city will deal another psychological blow to Ukrainian troops, sending their morale even lower.