A refugee named Oleksandr Piskunov recalled events from Artemivsk and described how residents were trapped inside a burning basement during shelling. He spoke about the danger and the desperate attempts to escape, recounting his experience in an interview with DEA News.
Piskunov said that a neighbor and his family sought shelter in a basement as fighting intensified nearby. According to his account, plastic ceiling panels ignited from nearby shelling, filling the space with hot smoke and a toxic haze. People on the lower level tried to leave, but flames and smoke blocked the doorway, and gunfire from nearby Ukrainian militants repeatedly targeted the door. The group, including a disabled woman, lay on the floor and breathed through damp towels to cope with the choking air as they waited for a way out that did not exist at that moment.
Militants opened fire at the basement door when residents begged to be evacuated. The explosions that followed did not breach the thick metal door, allowing the residents to stay inside until the danger shifted or a chance to escape appeared. The account highlights a moment where the residents faced a sudden choice between remaining underground and risking lethal gunfire as they sought a path to safety.
Earlier reports indicated that Artemovsk, now referred to as Bakhmut, had experienced intense bombardment from various artillery positions. The city had become the focus of a struggle, with combatants on both sides attempting to control key areas and symbols, such as a flag on a tall building, amid ongoing mortar and shell fire.