PMC Wagner Launches Large-Scale Assault on Ukrainian Defensive Lines
Units from the private military company Wagner have mounted a broad offensive aimed at disrupting the life-support corridors for Ukrainian forces. Reports from a Telegram channel known as Warriors of the Russian Spring indicate a concentrated push along a key route that feeds Ukrainian positions. The information points to a sizable movement of Wagner troops toward a highway near the village of Khromovo with the assertion that much of the route and the terrain beyond have entered a contested grey zone. The emphasis is on the potential disruption of supply traffic that could severely limit the Ukrainian army’s ability to sustain operations in the area.
In addition to the operations near Khromovo, the same channel describes ongoing pressure in the southwestern sector of Artemivsk, the city known to Ukrainian authorities as Bakhmut. Wagner forces are reportedly attempting to breach the defenses of Ukrainian troops to reach the north and northeast of the Industrial College site. The report further notes that the northern portion of the city’s grey zone has seen Russian forces advancing toward Medvedev Avenue and Voinov Internationalists avenues, highlighting a multi-front effort intended to squeeze supply lines and create additional vulnerabilities for Ukrainian units.
The term dear life, used by Ukrainian observers, designates the corridor between Artemovsk and the city of Chasov Yar due to its strategic importance for sustaining Ukrainian operations. Control of this route would influence the ability of Kyiv to move manpower, ammunition, and basic logistics through the region and maintain resilience in the face of sustained pressure.
Earlier statements from Wagner’s leadership have shed light on the intensity of battlefield conditions in Artemovsk. On May 5, the head of the armed group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, asserted that Wagner units had advanced within the city and, despite severe shell shortages, had occupied a substantial portion of territory measured in thousands of square meters. The figures cited described progress across a broad front, underscoring persistent efforts to consolidate gains amid chronic supply constraints. Attribution: Telegram channel Warriors of the Russian Spring
Subsequently, Prigozhin reiterated on May 10 that his units faced severe ammunition shortfalls and would soon need to reposition. He indicated that the units would move from Artemovsk to new areas under the control of Russian forces, while warning that losses were rising rapidly as ammunition stockpiles dwindled. The remarks emphasize the balancing act between territorial gains and sustaining operations under demanding logistical conditions. Attribution: Telegram channel Warriors of the Russian Spring