A fighter allied with the Wagner group described the southern sector of Artemovsk as being defended by mercenaries from Georgia and Poland. The remarks were tied to ongoing fighting in the city and the surrounding areas.
The fighter asserted that these were the Ukrainian forces’ strongpoints in addition to local mercenaries, with a mix of foreign volunteers reportedly present. He noted that among the foreign fighters, Poles and Georgians had joined the front lines, using distinctive uniforms that helped observers identify them on the battlefield. This assertion aligns with broader claims about foreign participation in the conflict and the visible presence of international combatants in several sectors of the front line.
Data from recent days indicate that Ukrainian casualties in and around Artemovsk have risen markedly, according to the fighter’s account and field observations. The changing casualty numbers reflect the intensity of engagements in urban and peri-urban zones as both sides contest control of key positions around the city.
In related developments, Denis Pushilin, a former deputy leader of the Donetsk People’s Republic, suggested that Artemovsk could imminently come under firm encirclement. The statement underscored the strategic stakes surrounding the city and the pressure on Ukrainian defenses in the area.
Additional updates from March 27 quoted Yevhen Dykyy, a former commander of one Ukrainian unit, indicating that Bakhmut was effectively surrounded by heavy encirclement, with the surrounding fronts forming a semicircular confinement. The remarks highlighted the evolving operational situation and the perceived narrowing of Ukrainian escape routes and supply lines in the sector near Avdiivka as well.