Russia makes gains in key Ukrainian town but suffers high casualties, says MOD
Russian ground forces have made a limited breakthrough into the eastern suburbs of the strategically important Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, though their casualty rate is believed to be high, defence intelligence suggests.
The Ministry of Defence's latest intelligence update reports fierce fighting in urban areas where Russian forces are believed to have been using thermobaric weapons - also known as vacuum bombs.
Thermobaric weapons, which suck in oxygen from the surrounding air to generate a high-temperature explosion, are controversial because they are much more devastating than conventional explosives of similar size, and have a terrible effect on anyone caught in their blast radius.
"Russian forces likely remain on the east side of a canal that runs through the city which presents an obstacle to their advance," said the MOD.
"It is highly likely that the RGF [Russian ground forces] is employing a dismounted infantry approach to clearing the suburbs, and that the Russian casualty rate is high.
"The UAF [Ukrainian armed forces] report an artillery-centric assault on the city with thermobaric munitions in use.
"Chasiv Yar is likely of value to Russia due to its strategic position on a plateau, as well as its historic use as a logistics hub for the UAF."
Situated on high ground, Chasiv Yar is about 20km (12 miles) to the west of Bakhmut, a town Russian forces seized a year ago after months of fighting in which nearly all its buildings were flattened.
It is seen by both sides as a potential staging point for Russia to advance on the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.
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