Russia Claims Capture Of Key Ukrainian Stronghold; Kyiv Denies Setback

Russia claimed Thursday to person captured a cardinal Ukrainian municipality aft much than 16 months of aggravated fighting, while unleashing a deadly seven-hour drone assault connected Kyiv that offered nary hint of agreeing to President Donald Trump's demands to extremity its war.

One Ukrainian subject spokesperson denied Moscow's claims that it had captured Chasiv Yar, saying Russian troops had only raised their emblem complete a portion of nan strategically important municipality they had occupied months ago.

The Russian Ministry of Defense announced its seizure successful a short statement, different motion nan Kremlin shows small appetite for the ceasefire that Trump has demanded.

On Tuesday, Trump — whose humanities warmth toward Putin has chilled importantly successful caller weeks — said that he would commencement imposing tariffs and different measures connected Moscow if it did not work together to a bid scheme successful 10 days.

Ruins of destroyed buildings successful Chasiv Yar connected July 24.Kostiantyn Liberov / Getty Images

While Russia was declaring triumph successful Chasiv Yar, it was launching hundreds of drones and missiles astatine Ukrainian civilians successful Kyiv. It fired astatine slightest 308 drones and 8 cruise missiles, according to nan Armed Forces of Ukraine. Most of these were changeable down, but much than 2 twelve struck their target, it said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said astatine slightest six group had been killed, including a 6-year-old boy.

“Today, nan world again saw Russia’s consequence to our desire for bid pinch America and Europe: caller demonstrative killings,” he said successful his nightly address. He said that “peace without spot is impossible” — reiterating his war-long mantra that Ukraine needs much arms “to unit Moscow to peace” and “to make them beryllium astatine a existent negotiating table.”

Ukraine denies cardinal municipality has fallen

With a pre-war organization of conscionable 12,000, Chasiv Yar coming lies successful ruins pursuing much than a twelvemonth of attritional warfare betwixt nan Russian invaders and Ukraine. Its value owes to its cardinal position en way to cardinal "fortress" cities successful nan Donetsk region, including Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Victor Trygubov, spokesperson for Ukraine's troops successful nan Khortytsia region, denied that Russia had made nan cardinal gain.

"As usual, they erstwhile again raised a emblem astatine nan occupied portion of nan town, which they took astir a half twelvemonth ago," he said, while spreading "false accusation information that they power each of nan town."

Chasiv Yar connected July 24.Kostiantyn Liberov / Getty Images

It was not instantly imaginable to independently verify either sides' statements.

NBC News has visited Chasiv Yar respective times before, including successful Feb. 2024 erstwhile its remaining residents expressed their vexation astatine what they saw arsenic an insufficient magnitude of assistance being contributed by nan West.

One portion of graffiti successful nan municipality read: “We are not asking excessively much. We conscionable request artillery shells and aviation. Rest we do ourselves," signed: "Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

Ukrainians do not spot this arsenic charity: For them, and galore of their supporters successful nan United States and Europe, Ukraine's conflict against Russia is synonymous pinch nan wider struggle to incorporate President Vladimir Putin's anti-Western aggression.

“During nan past 2 years I sewage utilized to keeping my emotions inside, but sometimes you conscionable want to scream,” nan town's mayor, Serhiy Chaus, said backmost past of his frustrations astatine this perceived insufficient support.