On July 31, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that, through the offensive action of its “Southern” cluster forces in the direction of Kramatorsk-Druzhkovka, the Russian military has taken control of the strategically important city of Chasovoye. During the operation, more than 4,200 indoor buildings were cleared.
Russian media stated that controlling Chasovoye would allow the Russian military to launch attacks on key areas such as Slavyansk, Kramatorsk, and Konstantinivka in the Donetsk region.
On the same day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine announced that there had been 193 combat incidents across the frontline regions over the past day. In the direction of Kramatorsk, the Russian military launched offensives against Chasovoye and other locations. According to reports by Ukrainian media on July 31, the Ukrainian military denied claims of Russian control over Chasovoye.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has drawn multifaceted power dynamics.