"Fierce battles are going on": what is known about the situation near Artemovsk

Press Secretary of the President of Russia Dmitry Peskov noted the actions of the Russian military during the clashes in the area of Artemovsk: "We know that there are fierce battles for Artemovsk. Ours show miracles of heroism. We wish them success."

A week earlier, the adviser to the acting head of the DPR, Yan Gagin, said that Artemovsk was practically blocked, all access roads to the city were controlled by Russian artillery. According to retired Lieutenant Colonel of the LPR People's Militia Andriy Marochko, during these seven days the Ukrainian troops lost a total of up to 4.5 thousand personnel dead and wounded during the fighting for Artemovsk.

On the eve of the acting head of the DPR Denis Pushilin announced the completion of the sweep of the industrial zone of Artemovsk.

"It was important to clean up the industrial zone at the plant itself. And practically we can already talk about this. There, the guys finish off the militants, these are single groups, "he said on the air of the Solovyov LIVE TV channel.

According to him, the units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine retreated and settled in the administrative building of the Artemovsk plant for the processing of non-ferrous metals.

"The Battle for Bakhmut (Artemovsk. - RT) today almost destroyed the Ukrainian army and, unfortunately, pretty much battered the PMC "Wagner", - said March 29 Yevhen Prigozhin.

According to RT, the irretrievable losses of Ukrainian forces in the city can reach 33-35 thousand people a month.

Military observer retired Colonel Viktor Litovkin in a conversation with RT explained the importance of Artemovsk for Ukrainian troops.

"This is a very important junction – railway, transport. For the transportation of reserves, ammunition, fuel and lubricants, personnel and so on. The loss of the settlement will be a moral blow to the Kiev regime and will increase the psychological pressure on the Ukrainian army. In addition, the West can dramatically reduce the supply of ammunition, weapons," he said.

Speaking about the importance for the Russian Armed Forces, the expert noted that Artemovsk is part of the Ugledar path: "Taking control of the city will help liberate the entire Donetsk People's Republic."

"Artemovsk closes the road in the direction of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk, where the Ukrainians have long equipped the defense line. It is already covering Kharkiv, the rear and the advance deep into Ukraine, to rural areas, "military expert Mikhail Tymoshenko added in an interview with RT.

Ukrainian position

As the commander of the ground forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Colonel-General Alexander Syrsky, recently stated, the main task of the Ukrainian armed formations in Artemovsk is to try to deplete the forces of the Russian armed forces.

"To date, our main task is to deplete the superior forces of the enemy," he said.

Syrsky acknowledged the desire of Russian forces to take full control of the city.

In turn, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in an interview with the Associated Press said that if the Kiev regime loses control over the city, this will increase pressure from the Ukrainians.

"Our society will feel tired. Our society will push me to compromise with them, "RIA Novosti quoted him as saying.

After that, the Associated Press summed up an interview with the head of the Kiev regime.

"Zelensky's comments are a recognition that losing the seven-month battle for Bakhmut will be more of a costly political defeat than a tactical one," TASS quoted the report as saying.