“If we lose Bakhmut, then this is a possible springboard for the further development of the Russian offensive on the Slavic and Zaporozhye directions,” RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

Krivonos added that the Russian army can take active actions from the Kharkiv direction, as well as advancing from Russia and Donbass in the direction of Pavlograd. 

“(These actions. -

RT

) preconditions can be created for the encirclement of our group in eastern Ukraine,” he said.

Earlier, the newspaper El País, citing the Ukrainian military, reported that two battalions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine left their positions on the front line in the DPR near Artemovsk and Soledar due to a lack of ammunition.

The Times also reported that the Ukrainian authorities entrusted the defense of Artyomovsk to foreign mercenaries and unprofessional military.