If Donbas is captured, the Russian army will “break into the heart of Ukraine”. This was stated by the head of the Donetsk RMA Vadym Filashkin in an interview with Sky News. But, according to him, the Ukrainian military will not allow this to happen.

Answering a journalist's question about the threats to Ukraine from the complete loss of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Filashkin said: “The enemy will move on. If, God forbid, this happens, the enemy will move further into the central regions of our country. But we will not allow this to happen and will do everything possible and impossible to detain the enemy here in Donetsk region.”

In this context, he emphasized the importance of holding Chasiv Yar, which is located at a height, allowing to shell a larger area, and also opens the way for Russia to reach other major cities in Donbas: Kramatorsk, Kostyantynivka and Sloviansk.

According to the head of the Donetsk RMA, Russian troops conducts 1,500 to 2,500 artillery shots and air strikes in the region every day.