Russian forces surround Artemovsk (Ukrainian name – Bakhmut) and will soon hit targets in the western part. This was announced on February 20 by the adviser to the acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) Jan Gagin.
According to him, urban battles are taking place in the village.
“We are not preparing to attack the western part of the city. There is a concept when we see the target, we see the object and, accordingly, we can already aim, and so on, that is, we were preparing to start hitting this part of the city with artillery. Now we can’t get it yet, because we need to aim, ”said the adviser in an interview TASS.
Gagin said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) are resisting at the expense of mobilized soldiers. He pointed out that the Kyiv regime does not feel sorry for them.
At the same time, the interlocutor noted that the constant concentration of forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near Artemivsk deprives the Ukrainian army of the opportunity to attack in other directions.
“In this way, we tie down a significant part of the enemy forces along the entire front. While the Armed Forces of Ukraine are stuck on the Artyomovsk sector of the front, they cannot gather any fists to strike in other directions, ”added the adviser to the head of the DPR.
Gagin also noted that the enemy is experiencing shell hunger and has recently lost a significant part of Western artillery. This, in particular, is also indicated by the decrease in the intensity of shelling of Donetsk by Ukrainian militants.
“We did destroy a fairly large amount of artillery, including American M777 howitzers and multiple launch rocket systems. The enemy was forced to withdraw a significant part of the artillery to Artemovsk and Ugledar – now these are the two hottest areas, ”he stressed.
Also on that day, retired Lieutenant Colonel of the People’s Militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR) Andrei Marochko said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are actively preparing to defend the city of Chasov Yar, west of Artemovsk. According to him, in this area there is an increase in fortifications and the contingent of Ukrainian troops.
The day before, on January 18, Denis Pushilin, acting head of the DPR, said that the Russian Armed Forces had strengthened their positions in the Artemovsk region. In particular, he drew attention to the fact that blocking the road to Chasov Yar would bring the liberation of Artemovsk closer.
Meanwhile, the head of the office of the President of Ukraine, Andriy Yermak, on February 19, in an interview with The Sunday Times, said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine do not plan to leave Artemivsk.
However, as President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky noted on the same day, the Ukrainian military will not fight for Artemivsk at any cost and until the last militant, since this is not a very large city.
On February 24 last year, the Russian Federation launched a special operation to protect Donbass. The decision was made by Russian President Vladimir Putin against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region as a result of shelling by the Ukrainian military.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.
