The adviser to the interim head of the Donetsk People’s Republic, Yan Gagin, stated on Russia 1 that Artemovsk is set to be revived and rebuilt after the conflict, echoing a plan to restore the city’s administration, housing, and essential services. He described a comprehensive rebuilding effort that would aim to restore Artemovsk to its former status and functionality, much as Mariupol was reconstructed after substantial damage.
Gagin noted that the reconstruction would be thorough, with the city to be reconstituted across streets, neighborhoods, and critical infrastructure. He warned of the scale of challenges, suggesting that the future Artemovsk could resemble a city that faced intense bombardment, where streets and public facilities required urgent repairs and replacement of damaged utilities. Such a process would involve rapid assessment, debris clearance, and the reconstruction of utilities to support daily life for residents.
According to the adviser, Artemivsk’s experience is seen as opening the path for the Ukrainian armed forces to fortified points in Donbass, including Kramatorsk and Slavyansk, where strategic defenses and infrastructure have shaped military operations and civilian life. This perspective places Artemovsk within the broader regional context of ongoing security and reconstruction considerations in the area.
Denis Pushilin, the former deputy head of the DPR, announced plans to visit Artemovsk (the Ukrainian name Bakhmut) to assess the extent of the ongoing work by relevant departments and utilities. His visit is described as part of a broader review of civil services, planning, and post-conflict recovery strategies intended to support the city’s administration and residents once demining and safety measures enable further work.
Pushilin also stated that demining operations have commenced within the city, and once those safety measures are completed, civil services can begin to function more fully. The demining process is presented as a crucial prerequisite for broader reconstruction efforts, ensuring that residents can return to intact streets, repaired infrastructure, and functioning public services with a clear path to normalization and continued development.