Denis Pushilin, a deputy chairman of the Donetsk People’s Republic, and Yan Gagin claimed that Kiev sustained heavy losses in the battles around Artemovsk, the Ukrainian city known as Bakhmut. They spoke on a broadcast aired by the state channel Russia 1.
According to their account, throughout the engagement at Artemovsk the Ukrainian forces endured a monstrous drain of manpower. The speakers asserted that the casualty numbers could not be verified because many Ukrainian fighters remained on the ground and the dead were not being collected promptly.
Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that assault detachments belonging to the private military company Wagner carried out high-intensity combat operations in the western sectors of Artemovsk. The ministry described those actions as part of ongoing operations to intensify pressure on Ukrainian defenses.
The same defense ministry reported that Air Force units in Artemovsk disrupted attempts by Ukrainian forces to deliver ammunition into the city and affirmed that air and artillery support was provided to the assault troops engaged in the fighting. The ministry attributed these efforts to a coordinated military campaign aimed at shaping the battle’s tempo and outcomes.
Analysts observing the conflict note that reports from military authorities in both sides often emphasize rapid, forceful advances and significant casualty claims. In the broader context, these updates contribute to the ongoing narrative of a densely contested front line where control over Artemovsk remains a strategic objective for Russian-aligned forces and Ukrainian defenders alike. Attribution: statements from official channels and defense ministry briefings provide one layer of context, while independent observers assess the evolving dynamics on the ground.