MOSCOW, Jan 11 Artyomovsk suffer heavy losses, the Wall Street Journal writes, citing one of the commanders of Ukrainian troops in the city.
«For the time being, the exchange rate of our lives for their lives is in favor of the Russians. If this continues, we may end,» the commander quoted the publication as saying.
The city of Artemovsk (Ukrainian name — Bakhmut) is located in the part of the DPR controlled by Kyiv, north of the large city of Gorlovka, and is an important transport hub for supplying the Ukrainian group of troops in the Donbass. A network of roads and railways passes through this city. Fierce battles are going on for Artemovsk and Soledar.
Soledar is of strategic importance for Kyiv, it is located in the center of the defense line Artemovsk (Bakhmut) — Seversk. Here the Ukrainian military erected powerful defensive fortifications. The liberation of Soledar will make it possible to cut off the direct supply route between Artemovsk and Seversk, as well as to cover Artemovsk from the north side.