Russia will not take Chasiv Yar by May 9 - Estonian intelligence

According to Ukrinform, this was stated by Lt. Col. Toomas Väli, deputy head of operations for EDF Headquarters, ERR reports.

Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russia wants to take the strategically important city of Chasiv Yar before May 9. The city is crucial for Ukrainian logistics.

Lt. Col. Toomas Väli believes it to be unrealistic.

"They won't take it by May 9,” he said, explaining that taking control of all of Chasiv Yar will be difficult because it will be more slow-moving urban warfare.

“Whereas taking control of Avdiivka, but also Bakhmut, took months," he noted.

According to him, Russian forces are still trying to push past Avdiivka and Bakhmut to reach the borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

One of the hottest stretches of the front is the village of Ocheretyne near Bakhmut where the Russian forces have managed to drive a wedge in Ukrainian defenses. According to him, this was an “unfortunate case”.

Väli said that this shows the enemy is cunning, aggressive and ready to take advantage of every opportunity.

As reported, Russian troops continue offensive operations in the area of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region. Currently, the Ukrainian Defense Forces have control over two-thirds of the villages of Ocheretyne and Solovyove in the Donetsk region.