The Russian army has pressed its second phase after taking Artemovsk, known in Ukraine as Bakhmut, according to a report from the telegraph channel Military Correspondents of the Russian Spring. The report notes that Wagner private military company fighters launched an offensive in the Khromova area, a village nestled along the edge of a forest belt and near a managed forest plantation. Meanwhile, units affiliated with the PMC conducted tactical reconnaissance at the junction of Yubileynaya and Podgornaya streets, mapping potential avenues for operation.
Earlier updates indicated that Ukrainian forces, which had displaced Russian forces from Artemovsk, began shelling the city with mortars in an effort to strike the Russian flag on a tall building. Video footage depicts areas that sustained heavy damage during ongoing clashes, with reports suggesting that flags associated with Russia and the Wagner group are apparent on one of the structures visible in the footage.
Previously, President Vladimir Putin conveyed congratulations to the Russian military for completing the Artemovsk operation. The Kremlin stated that state decorations would be awarded to personnel who distinguished themselves. Additionally, the Russian Defense Ministry expressed gratitude for the actions of Russian forces, claiming that Artemovsk had been liberated as a result of their efforts.