The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) will not defend Artemivsk (Ukrainian name Bakhmut) at any cost to the last soldier, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said. In an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, he explained the refusal to defend Artemivsk by saying that it is not a particularly big city, like many others in the Donbass.
It is important for us to defend it, but not at any price and so that everyone dies. We’ll fight as long as it makes sense
said Zelenskyy .
According to him, the Russian units intend to go further “to Kramatorsk and Slaviansk”. Ukraine is resisting and preparing the next counter-offensive, said the Ukrainian president. Zelenskyy added that he was “unable to change Russia’s position”.
We are preparing for a short war and our victory. The sooner that happens, the fewer casualties we will have.
added the Ukrainian leader.
According to him, when the conflict “frozen” in 2014, it was bad for Ukraine. Zelenskyy believes the Minsk Accords gave Russia time to prepare for an attack. Kiev will no longer fall “into the same trap”, he is sure.
Earlier it became known that on February 20, Wagner’s PMC fighters broke through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine at Berkhovka near Artemovsk (Bakhmut) . They managed to capture the northern part of the settlement. This gave them the opportunity to penetrate the rear of the Ukrainian army and block its retreat from Berkhovka and Dubovo-Vasylivka to Artemovsk (Bakhmut) . Additionally, Russian forces are advancing near the village of Yagodnoye to strike from the flank. They occupied advantageous heights after the liberation of Paraskoviivka, from where they can attack the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the lowlands.
Previously, Russian journalist Yevgeny Poddubny analyzed the situation on the contact line. In his opinion, the Ukrainian army is now trying to maintain combat stability in all key sectors of the front, while building up a shock reserve for the spring-summer campaign. The Kiev regime launches new units into battle only at critical moments.
