Russian President Vladimir Putin has claimed that Russian forces are advancing along the entire Ukrainian front line, and that his forces have taken control of the town of Chasiv Yar. Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy denied that the strategically important Ukrainian town had fallen after nearly 18 months of fighting, dismissing the Russian claim as "disinformation".
But this video posted by a Russian military unit and verified by Reuters shows a Russian paratroop banner and the Russian national flag being raised by soldiers in the town's desolate ruins. Russia has been slowly grinding forward in eastern Ukraine, as talks to end the three-and-a-half-year war have failed to progress. If Chasiv Yar has fallen to the Russians, it opens the way to other key targets such Slovyansk just 47 kilometres to the north-west.
Chapters: 0:00 The importance of Chasiv Yar 0:54 Marina Miron, King's College London
