According to Ukrainian military and political observer Oleksandr Kovalenko, the city remains contested, and claims of full control are inaccurate.Although the situation in Chasiv Yar remains extremely difficult, Russian forces have not taken full control of the city. The announcement appears to be an exaggeration intended to project success at a time when Russian forces have seen few significant battlefield gains, according to the observer.In recent weeks, Chasiv Yar has received relatively little attention in media, especially compared to areas like Pokrovsk, the Novopavlivka direction, or Kupiansk. This lack of coverage may have contributed to confusion about the actual situation on the ground.Russian units currently involved in operations around Chasiv Yar include elements of the 3rd Combined Arms Army — specifically the 4th, 85th, and 88th Motor Rifle Brigades; the 3rd Army Corps, including the 6th Motor Rifle Division and the 72nd Motor Rifle Brigade; and the 98th Airborne Division, including the 217th, 299th, and 331st Airborne Regiments. In addition, Russia has been deploying penal assault units from Storm-Z formations, typically in groups of no more than 20 at a time.At present, Russian forces control the northern and eastern sections of the city, including the Novopivnichnyi, Desiata, Pivnichnyi, and Zhovtnevyi neighborhoods. They also hold key positions at workshops 3, 4, and 5 of the Chasiv Yar industrial complex, the railway station, and Dniprovska Street up to the Khlibzavod pond.Active fighting is underway in the western parts of the city. Russian forces are attempting to advance toward the southern shore of Lake Dniprovske and into the areas of Mykolaivka, Shevchenko Street, and Workshop No. 2. Control of Mine Block No. 9 has reportedly been lost, and Russian units are trying to entrench themselves in the workshop areas of Workshop No. 2. The status of Workshop No. 1 and the adjacent beach remains unclear.Despite recent gains, Russian troops have not fully taken the city. The areas under their control have already been heavily damaged by more than two years of urban warfare. Currently, they are pushing into the western districts and attempting to encircle the city from the south, through the mining zone and landfill area.The announcement of Chasiv Yar’s capture likely serves a strategic communications purpose for the Kremlin, especially following recent strikes on Kyiv. Declaring victory in Chasiv Yar allows Russian officials to present the illusion of major front-line success, even in the absence of a definitive military breakthrough.Historically, such premature claims have been followed by an escalation of assaults as Russian forces attempt to validate earlier statements. Increased attacks on the city’s western districts are expected, likely involving intensified use of penal battalions from Storm-Z.A similar pattern was observed in Toretsk, which Russian sources claimed to have captured in January 2025. As of July 31, fighting continues there, with Ukrainian forces still holding their positions.Chasiv Yar has withstood sustained assaults for more than two years, much of it consisting of intense urban combat. It now holds the record for the longest defensive stand in the war under such conditions. Ukrainian forces continue to defend what remains of the city despite the increasingly difficult situation.Russia said on Thursday it had captured the town of Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine after nearly 16 months of fighting.