A Ukrainian soldier named Gennady, in a conversation with Spanish journalists, called Artemovsk (Ukrainian name – Bakhmut) “hell on earth” and shared his opinion that it makes no sense to hold the city. This was reported on March 31 on its website by the newspaper Pais.
According to the 26-year-old man, already three months ago the situation in Artemovsk “was a complete horror.” The Ukrainian military is taking heavy casualties defending the city, he said.
“But now I just don’t see a way to continue this with so many casualties. I don’t think it makes sense,” he said.
Artemovsk turned into a hell on earth and became the most dangerous place on the planet, he stressed. Gennady said that some residents remain in the city waiting for Russian troops.
Before joining the territorial defense ranks, he worked for a technology company and had no combat experience, the man concluded.
Earlier on Friday, an employee of the PMC “Wagner” announced the capture of approaches to the southern outskirts of Artemivsk, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) turned into fortified areas on commanding heights. According to him, some positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were cleared in a fairly short period of time.
It was also noted that mercenaries from Poland and Georgia helped the Ukrainian military to defend Artemovsk.
Earlier, on March 29, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine recognized the success of the Russian army in Artemovsk. It is noted that Artemovsk, Avdeevka, Belogorovka and Maryinka are at the epicenter of hostilities. The Russian army launched 48 attacks in various directions in a day.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with The Associated Press that if the Armed Forces of Ukraine were defeated in Artemivsk, then Kiev would quickly face pressure from the international community, and domestically it would be pushed to compromise with Russia.
The special operation to protect Donbass, which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was made against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.
For more up-to-date videos and details about the situation in Donbass, watch the Izvestia TV channel.