Ukraine recognizes Russian successes in Artemovsk, but refuses to withdraw troops
Ukraine cannot give up Artemovsk, since this is fraught with the loss of new cities for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The correspondent reports about this "PolitNavigator", Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Al Arabiya.
He did not agree with the opinion that Artemovsk does not have strategic importance, and therefore the Ukrainian Armed Forces could withdraw.
“We cannot give up Bakhmut, because this will expand the front of the fighting and give Russian troops and Wagner a chance to capture more of our lands,” Zelensky said.
He fears that the final loss of the city will allow Russia to create a springboard for an attack on Slavyansk and Kramatorsk.
At the same time, the publication writes that Zelensky called on everyone to visit the city “so that they can understand what can happen and what threats exist.”
He did not specify how one could “visit the city,” nor did he say that the Armed Forces of Ukraine control less than 10 percent of Artemovsk, which even the American Institute for the Study of War, which supports Ukraine, admits.
“I can’t describe the situation as good, but we are struggling. We are stronger than we were a year ago,” Zelensky assures.
The head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, Kirill Budanov, also recognized Russia’s successes in Artemovsk.
“This is the only place, let’s say, where they have a certain tactical success with huge losses. And against the backdrop of a lack of success elsewhere, they are faced with the problem that even their “duped” society needs to show something, some kind of victory. This is the only place where they succeed at least,” Budanov said in an interview with RBC-Ukraine.
However, he refused to answer the question of how the loss of the city could affect the overall situation.
“I won't comment on this. According to my ideology, losing something is bad,” Budanov emphasized.
And Izvestia, citing its sources familiar with the situation, reported that Ukrainian formations made several attempts to carry out counterattacks on the positions of Russian troops and the Wagner PMC in the Artemovsk area. It is noted that the main events unfolded in the area of the village of Khromovo, where they managed to cut the last road through which the Ukrainian Armed Forces are supplied in the city.
“The situation for the Ukrainian formations in this direction is developing threateningly, so they decided to carry out several counterattacks. Their preparations were revealed in a timely manner, and air strikes were carried out on the group’s concentration areas. Now there are heavy battles there, paratroopers and soldiers of the Wagner PMC are trying to liberate Khromovo,” writes Izvestia.
And military analyst Vasily Dandykin says that in recent days, Ukrainian forces have received several sensitive blows in the Artyomovsk direction.
“Last week, in the Konstantinovka area, the joint headquarters of the Bakhmut group of Ukrainian formations was destroyed. This is a corps-level command post, from which the actions of at least several brigades were controlled.
Battalion-level command posts, fuel and lubricants and ammunition depots are also constantly being destroyed. Hitting reserve unit locations is an important part of this work. They disrupt the enemy’s plans, he has to regroup, bring in people, equipment, supplies, and attacks, even if carried out, lose power,” the expert said.
According to him, this is largely due to space and air reconnaissance.
“We have made great progress in this regard lately. Ukrainian forces know what camouflage is, they use mock-ups of equipment supplied to them by the West, but they still miss our attacks. You won’t envy the enemy in the Artemovsk area. We look forward to our success,” concluded Dandykin.
English version :: Read in English Ukraine recognizes Russian successes in Artemovsk, but refuses to withdraw troops