(Dan Tri) – Ukraine said the Russian army is trying to surround the city of Chasiv Yar while Kiev is still waiting for military aid from the US.

Russian forces in Donetsk (Photo: Reuters).

In a speech on national television on April 26, Nazar Voloshyn, spokesman for the Khortytsia Forces, said the Russian army was trying to surround the city of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk province, Eastern Ukraine.

According to Mr. Voloshyn, the Russian army is trying to flank Chasiv Yar through the villages of Bohdanivka and Ivanivske to surround the city.

`The attack is ongoing. The enemy is trying to close the siege of Chasiv Yar, but has not achieved any success in the past 7 days,` Mr. Voloshyn added.

He added that Russia also focused its efforts on breaking through Ukraine’s defenses west of Bakhmut to reach the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal.

Previously, a spokesman for Khortytsia forces confirmed that about 20,000 to 25,000 Russian soldiers were trying to attack Chasiv Yar and settlements on the outskirts of the city.

Location of Chasiv Yar city (Photo: Ukrainian Weekly).

Chasiv Yar is located about 10km west of Bakhmut in Donetsk Oblast and 50km north of Avdiivka.

The Ukrainian military said Russian forces are focusing their efforts near Chasiv Yar, an area Moscow considers crucial to advance deeper into Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.

In an interview with NBC News published on April 21, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia will try to control Chasiv Yar in Donetsk province before May 9.

According to analysts, an offensive campaign to capture Chasiv Yar will open up immediate prospects for the Russian army to achieve significant operational progress.

According to experts from the US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), although it cannot be done quickly, Russian forces will likely gain control of the city of Chasiv Yar.

According to Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, Russia wants to penetrate Ukraine’s defense system west of Bakhmut, reach the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal, control Chasiv Yar and then advance further towards Kramatorsk.

The Russian military is trying to control as much territory as possible before Ukraine can receive weapons aid from the US.

Director of the Ukrainian Defense Intelligence Agency Kyrylo Budanov warned that the Ukrainian army could face a difficult situation around the end of May and early June when Russia increases the intensity of its attacks, taking advantage of the time Ukraine waits for reinforcements.

Some analysts believe that Chasiv Yar’s fate depends on the speed of weapons handover by the US and its allies to Ukraine.

According to military expert Roman Svitan, if it captures Chasiv Yar, Russia will attack the area around Kramatorsk.