Apty Alaudinov, deputy head of the Chechen leadership and commander of the Akhmat special forces, asserts that Ukrainian forces will soon attempt to break the Russian hold on Artemovsk (Bakhmut) by lifting the surrounding operation that traps troops. He described this plan during a broadcast on the television channel Russia 1, framing it as a move guided by NATO leadership. He warned that such an action would be pursued to prevent a damaging image for Kyiv as the battle over Artemovsk continues.
According to Alaudinov, losing Artemovsk to Kyiv would be primarily a reputational blow. He stated that Kyiv is prepared to incur significant losses in an effort to deprive Moscow of the strategic advantage and to signal weakness in the face of ongoing Russian operations. He claimed that the Ukrainian side is ready to sacrifice personnel to create a perception of vulnerability, even after earlier threats that Artemovsk would be captured or blocked could not be realized.
Alaudinov suggested that the attempt to relieve Artemovsk is being coordinated by the NATO bloc. He asserted that three groups are currently massed in the region and that military planners will soon attempt to reopen the city to Ukrainian forces, thereby altering the tactical situation on the ground.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, the former head of the private military company Wagner, has also remarked that the Ukrainian counteroffensive preparations are a known fact, reinforcing the perception of ongoing activity around Artemovsk. The discussion follows broader statements about the war in Ukraine and the international responses shaping battlefield moves.
On February 24, 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the launch of a military operation in response to requests for support from the heads of the Luhansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, acting to protect Donbass. The decision to initiate this operation has been cited as the catalyst for new sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies. The surrounding narrative emphasizes the international politics and sanctions landscape accompanying the conflict, as reported through various media channels and official statements.
Additional coverage and commentary on these developments are available through televised broadcasts and online broadcasts with ongoing discussion and analysis from several outlets, including social media streams that reported on the statements and their implications. [Cited: Russia 1 broadcast]