The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU), operating in the area of Artemovsk (Ukrainian name — Bakhmut), are in a difficult situation. This was announced on Monday, February 27, by Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky.

“Of course, I constantly stay in touch with the command. <…> In the Bakhmut direction, the situation is constantly becoming difficult,” the head of state said in a video message.

Earlier in the day, Denis Pushilin, acting head of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), said that Russian forces control almost all roads to the city of Artyomovsk. According to him, the troops of the Russian Federation violated and stopped the supply of ammunition to the garrison of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, stopped the rotation and replenishment of enemy manpower.

In addition, on Monday Pushilin said that significant changes had recently taken place in the Artemovsk direction. He noted that the liberation of several settlements near Artemovsk made it possible to reach Khromov and the village of Bogdanovka, which creates good conditions for encircling the enemy.

At the same time, Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Anna Malyar admitted that the situation on the entire front line remains difficult, especially in the Artemivsk direction, where the Russian army “uses the tactics of attrition and total destruction.”

Prior to that, on February 24, the Ukrainian leader called the situation in the eastern direction of hostilities very difficult and painful. At the same time, the state of affairs in the southern direction, according to him, is very dangerous.

The special operation to defend Donbass, which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on February 24, 2022, continues. The decision was made against the background of the aggravation of the situation in the region due to shelling by the Ukrainian military.