Battle to keep vital eastern fortress out of Putin's hands

The Kremlin wants a victory to shout about as Ukraine's shortage of weapons has allowed Russia's troops to advance

- ASKOLD KRUSHELNYCKY

Ukrainian forces face a desperate fight to keep hold of the vital eastern town of Chasiv Yar in the Donetsk region - as Russia intensifies attempts to snatch a symbolic military victory in the coming two weeks.

The prize it seeks is the fortress town, sitting on high ground. If captured by Russian forces, its elevation will allow Moscow's artillery to freely target the last four important towns Kramatorsk, Sloviansk, Kostyantynivka and Druzhkivka - still in Ukrainian hands in the region.

Success there would bring the Kremlin closer to achieving its oft-stated goal to control the entire Donetsk region. And Moscow does not appear concerned about throwing waves of troops at the front line to make headway. These assaults by infantry have been accompanied by tanks, other armoured personnel carriers, soldiers on motorcycles and Mad Max-style quad-bike vehicles.

A source close to the Ukrainian presidential administration told The Independent: "Human life is the cheapest resource for the Russians and they have kept sending their men to their deaths for weeks. There are no political consequences for them, unlike in Ukraine where we don't use our people as cannon fodder."

The Independent's source said the Kremlin wants a win by 9 May, when Moscow commemorates the Soviet Union's victory over the Nazis in the Second World War. Other symbolic dates include 7 May, Vladimir Putin's presidential inauguration following an election last month, and the days before his visit to Beijing later this month.

The source said: "The Russians are unlikely to capture Chasiv Yar next week but they might be able to enter part of the town, take a photograph with a Russian flag and the Kremlin propagandists will portray this as a great victory."