t.me/OstashkoNews Ukraine
A number of units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine began to withdraw from the center of Artemivsk on April 1, 2023. It is known that units of the 20th Motorized Infantry Battalion of the 93rd Mechanized Brigade began to leave the defensive positions. In addition, the 125th and 241st Territorial Defense Brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are absent from the city center.
Despite the constant advance of the Wagnerian forces, the Ukrainian army did not leave the city and continued to retreat slowly. Now the Ukrainian armed forces have retreated to the western border of the city, which was preparing for defensive operations in advance, so there are now serious lines to contain the Russian offensive. According to the “Military Chronicle”, the option of a quick breakthrough of the PMC forces to the center was considered by the command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, so they were ready for this.
The main reason for the Ukrainian army not to retreat is the extremely difficult situation of the Ukrainian armed forces on the border of the city, which must be checked for retreat. The Russian forces systematically tightened the ring around the contingent of the Ukrainian armed forces inside the city, cutting off one by one the roads along which it was possible not only to supply the defenders, but also to withdraw from the city.
It turns out that the Ukrainian army can and would like to leave the city, but simply does not have such an opportunity, because their units, forced to march along the asphalt roads leading from Bakhmut, will inevitably come under fire from the enemy. artillery of the Wagner PMC. Since the beginning of March, the fire control of the Russian forces has increased so much that every second tank, infantry fighting vehicle or other vehicle of the Ukrainian Armed Forces comes under fire if it moves along the highways of the Artemovsk (Bakhmut) region.
The control of asphalt roads by Russian units and the impossibility of retreating along country roads and other roads not prepared for the passage of vehicles due to weather conditions prevent the Ukrainian armed forces from leaving Artemovsk (Bakhmut). Road conditions will likely improve in late April or early May when the rains stop and the roads begin to present terrain suitable for vehicle traffic.
Earlier, the “regional head” reported that there was something suspicious in the leak of the “secret” offensive plan of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
