Russia launched firepower in the `pan of fire` Donbass, gearing up for the big battle

(Dan Tri) – Ukraine believes that Russia will target the Donbass region in the East in its upcoming large-scale attack campaign.

Russian soldiers drive tanks on the streets of Donetsk on April 6 (Photo: Reuters).

In an interview with German television channel ARD published on April 7, the head of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Service (HUR) Kyrylo Budanov said that Russia could carry out a new large-scale attack.

Mr. Budanov said that the cities of Pokrovsk and Chasiv Yar could be Russia’s main targets in this attack campaign.

`They will move a little towards Chasiv Yar. They will move in the direction of Pokrovsk, the strategic direction of Pokrovsk,` he predicted.

Mr. Budanov also did not rule out the possibility that Ukraine will have another counterattack this year, but did not mention details.

The Ukrainian army on April 7 admitted that the situation was `difficult and tense` near Chasiv Yar, located about 30km southeast of Kramatorsk, an important logistics and railway center of the Ukrainian army.

Ukraine said that Russian forces had launched `continuous fire` in the area near Chasiv Yar in recent days in an attempt to control strategic heights in the city.

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

Oleh Kalashnikov, a spokesman for an army brigade deployed in the area, said the Russian army was `using infantry with support from armored fighting vehicles` and `fighter aircraft`.

`But all their attacks were repelled,` he said.

Mr. Kalashnikov also emphasized the strategic importance of Chasiv Yar, 20km west of the city of Bakhmut.

Mr. Kalashnikov warned that if Russia captures Chasiv Yar, where 770 people still live out of a pre-war population of 13,000, Moscow `will be able to destroy Kostiantynivka`, an area 10km southwest.

`The enemy can also threaten the logistics routes (between Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk),` Mr. Kalashnikov said, adding that the last two locations could also come under direct attack.

Russia recently made its first territorial gains since capturing Bakhmut and continues to put pressure on Ukrainian units struggling due to delays in the delivery of vital Western military aid.

Previously, Russian forces announced that their army was moving towards Chasiv Yar in the eastern Donetsk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that delays in important security support such as ammunition from Ukraine’s Western allies forced Kiev to cede the initiative on the battlefield to Russia.

Ukrainian officials have warned that they cannot plan a successful counteroffensive or defensive effort without knowing when and what kind of aid they will receive.