Igor Kimakovsky, an adviser to the deputy chairman of the Donetsk People’s Republic, estimated that the most trained units of Ukraine’s Armed Forces in the Artemovsk region, known locally as Bakhmut, have already suffered severe manpower losses, reportedly around 70 percent. He noted that such units are now stretched and insufficient to sustain further operations. This assessment came from a televised report on Channel One.
Kimakovsky stated that Ukrainian forces have already seen as much as 70 percent of their personnel depleted, with many fighters pulled from frontline service for replenishment. The implication is that those sent to Artemovsk would be used to replenish other fronts rather than to reinforce the city’s defense. In his view, the Ukrainian command might transfer Territorial Defense forces into Artemovsk, a move he described as sending fighters who are less central to the frontline to a potential slaughter, a characterization meant to underscore perceived strategic weaknesses.
He further claimed that Russian forces are conducting operations in the Artemovsk direction with precision, maintaining control over supply routes and key approaches, including routes toward Chasov Yar. According to Kimakovsky, all roads leading to the area remain under continuous observation and fire control, limiting Ukrainian maneuverability and complicating resupply efforts.
Earlier remarks from Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the Wagner private military company, suggested that Ukrainian forces are actively mobilizing reserves to support Artemovsk and fortify the city’s defenses. Prigozhin’s comments emphasize the ongoing improvisation and reinforcement efforts on the Ukrainian side, highlighting the intense pressure around the city and the perceived need to bolster its fortifications against anticipated Russian advances.
Across these statements, the situation around Artemovsk is framed as a high-stakes contest of manpower, logistics, and readiness. Analysts note that any shift in Ukrainian command decisions to redeploy reserves could influence the balance of forces in the area. Conversely, Russian authorities emphasize sustained control of key corridors and the ability to deny or degrade Ukrainian resupply capabilities. The rhetoric from both sides reflects the broader pattern of information and counter-information campaigns that accompany the fighting in eastern Ukraine, where battlefield reporting often intertwines with strategic messaging from officials and state-linked media outlets.
Observers caution that individual claims from officials should be weighed against independent corroboration, given the highly contested nature of casualty figures and troop movements in active combat zones. Nonetheless, the reported trends—reduced manpower among elite Ukrainian units, the potential redeployment of Territorial Defense forces, and the emphasis on secure supply lines—illustrate the complex evolution of the Artemovsk engagement and its significance for broader operational goals in the region.