CinC Syrskyi: Russian troops tasked with capturing Chasiv Yar by May 9

That's according to the Facebook page of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Ukrinform reports.

"I was working in another, very important and dangerous direction. The enemy is also concentrating efforts to break through our defenses west of Bakhmut, exit to the Siverskyi Donets - Donbas channel, capture the settlement of Chasiv Yar, and create conditions for further advance to the Kramatorsk agglomeration," Syrskyi said.

He emphasized that the heroic defense of the Ukrainian brigades prevents the Russians from implementing their plans.

"Using a numerical advantage and various motivational factors, including executions, separate groups of the enemy's infantry advanced to the Novyi neighborhood, but were destroyed by FPV kamikaze drone strikes and artillery fire," the general said.

At the same time, Syrskyi said, the threat remains relevant, given that Russia's top military leadership has tasked their troops with capturing Chasiv Yar by May 9.

"To respond adequately to the actions of the enemy and strengthen the defense of our troops in this direction, measures have been taken to significantly strengthen the brigades with ammunition, drones, and electronic warfare," the commander-in-chief said.

According to him, the main conclusion from his two-day work at the front is the need to improve the quality of training, including the moral and psychological component, to increase the number of high-tech unmanned systems for various purposes with trained operators, and to improve the quality of conducting asymmetric operations to reduce the combat potential of the Russians.

"We continue to carry out organizational measures with an emphasis on increasing the efficiency of management, eliminating duplication, and directing freed resources to support combat units and sub-units. The main task of these measures is to increase the combat capability of our troops, save the lives of our soldiers, disrupt the enemy's plans, and ensure the training of reserves," Syrskyi said.

Syrskyi said on April 13 that the situation on the eastern front had worsened significantly in recent days.

Photo credit: Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine