Forbes: Ukrainian Forces Set Tank Trap On Key Bridge Near Chasiv Yar

Russian weapons are on fire.

Eight weeks after the capture of the ruins of Avdiivka, Russian occupation troops targeted the city of Chasiv Yar. Losing this city could clear the way for the enemy to march west.

The analytical group Frontelligence Insight, quoted by Forbes, noted that this “could have dire consequences, as it would provide a direct route for the Russian army to advance toward key cities.” That is why the strengthening of Russian offensives in this area is so disturbing for Ukrainians and allies, and the successful counterattacks of the Defence Forces are inspiring.

The Armed Forces of Ukraine set a tank trap at one of the key intersections outside Chasiv Yar. It covers a bottleneck for Russian troops advancing from their forward base in occupied Ivanovo. That bottleneck is a small bridge on the T-0504 road that threads west out of Ivanivske and through a forest into Chasiv Yar’s southern districts.

As noted, if the invaders from the 11th Air Assault Brigade can get over the bridge, they might be able to disappear into the woods and creep toward Chasiv Yar with some degree of concealment from drones and artillery.

Fighters of the Ukrainian from the 42nd and 67th Mechanized Brigades and adjacent units, having concentrated enough firepower on the bridge, might be able to block Russian assaults on southern Chasiv Yar before they reach the protection of the trees. So far, the Ukrainians are succeeding and the Russians are being defeated.

Over the past day, Ukrainian defenders knocked out at least one Russian BMP fighting vehicle as it was crossing the bridge. The hulk of the wrecked fighting vehicle now joins the hulks of several other burned-out Russian vehicles on and around the tank trap.

"The road connecting Chasiv Yar and Bakhmut has several bridges over the water channel. With the right approach and correctly allocated resources, Chasiv Yar could potentially be a very formidable obstacle to advancing Russian troops," Frontelligence explained on Monday.

However, It’s not clear whether the Ukrainian brigades always have the resources they need, however. That should come as no surprise, given that Russia-friendly Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives continues withholding aid to Ukraine.

Although each attempt costs the Russians another armoured vehicle, the Ukrainians are trying to destroy this bridge to protect themselves. However, this is a small and solidly built goal. In the middle of the bridge, there is a crater from the impact, which was probably made by the Ukrainian forces.

On or around April 2, some enterprising Ukrainian troops strapped explosives to a remote-controlled vehicle and rolled it into the crater before detonating the charge.