Russia appears to make headway in key Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar

FILE PHOTO: A view shows heavily damaged residential buildings in the town of Chasiv Yar, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine May 23, 2023. REUTERS/Yevhenii Zavhorodnii/File Photo

(Reuters) - Russian forces appear to be making headway towards their longstanding goal of capturing the strategic Ukrainian town of Chasiv Yar, according to reports on Sunday from both sides of the more than two-year-old conflict.

Chasiv Yar stands on high ground about 20 km (12 miles) to the west of Bakhmut, a town Russian forces seized a year ago after months of battles that flattened nearly all its buildings. It is seen by both sides as a potential staging point for Russia to advance on the key cities of Kramatorsk and Sloviansk.