Russia claims its forces have captured key Ukrainian town

Russia says its force have captured the key town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine after nearly 18 months of fighting in the area.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has not commented on Moscow’s claim, though the country’s military command confirmed Thursday that Russian forces had attacked locations near Chasiv Yar, which lies several miles west of Bakhmut.

DeepState, a Ukrainian open-source mapping site that charts the war’s front lines, showed Kyiv’s forces controlling the western part of the town.

If confirmed, the seizure of Chasiv Yar would provide high ground for the Russians, and threaten what is known as Ukraine’s fortress belt of cities in Donetsk region, including Slovyansk, Kramatorsk, and Kostyantynivka.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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