“Once again, the world witnessed Russia’s answer to our quests for peace with America and Europe: new violent acts,” he remarked during his nightly address. He reiterated that “peace without strength cannot exist,” emphasizing Ukraine’s need for more weaponry “to compel Moscow to peace” and “bring them to a genuine negotiation table.”

Ukraine denies key town has fallen

With a pre-war population of just 12,000, Chasiv Yar today lies in ruins following more than a year of attritional warfare between the Russian invaders and Ukraine. Its significance owes to its key position en route to key “fortress” cities in the Donetsk region, including Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.

Victor Trygubov, spokesman for Ukraine’s troops in the Khortytsia region, denied that Russia had made the key gain.

“As usual, they once again raised a flag at the occupied part of the town, which they took about a half year ago,” he said, while spreading “false information information that they control all of the town.”

It was not immediately possible to independently verify either sides’ statements.

NBC News has visited Chasiv Yar several times before, including in Feb. 2024 when its remaining residents expressed their frustration at what they saw as an insufficient amount of aid being contributed by the West.

One piece of graffiti in the town read: “We are not asking too much. We just need artillery shells and aviation. Rest we do ourselves,” signed: “Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

Ukrainians do not see this as charity: For them, and many of their supporters in the United States and Europe, Ukraine’s fight against Russia is synonymous with the wider struggle to contain President Vladimir Putin’s anti-Western aggression.

“During the last two years I got used to keeping my emotions inside, but sometimes you just want to scream,” the town’s mayor, Serhiy Chaus, said back then of his frustrations at this perceived insufficient support.