“Due to the losses that the Ukrainian units have suffered in the town of Chasov Yar, it has become very difficult for them to maintain the defense of this important bastion in Donbass,” Marochko wrote on his Telegram channel on Tuesday.

According to him, the defensive capability of the Ukrainian forces has been reduced as a result of the Russian artillery and aviation strikes against Ukrainian personnel and matériel in that direction.

Marochko also noted that the Ukrainian army is demoralized as a result of the lack of equipment and ammunition, and that there is panic among its ranks.

He further added that a section of the contact line nearly 300 meter-wide southeast of Chasov Yar was exposed due to the Ukrainian troops abandoning their positions without authorization.

Previously, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that aviation had hit a base of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Chasov Yar with thermobaric bombs.

mh/llp/lam/gfa