The Ministry of Defense spoke about the situation in the Artemovsky direction

The Russian military destroyed an automobile bridge in the Artemovsk tactical direction near the settlement of Krasnoye, which the Armed Forces of Ukraine used to transfer reserves to Artemovsk. This is reported by the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

“In the area of ​​the settlement of Krasnoye, an automobile bridge was destroyed, along which reinforcements of the Armed Forces of Ukraine were transferred to Artemovsk, as well as an ammunition depot of the 60th mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” says in the next report of the military department.

In addition to the complete liberation of Artemovsk (the Ukrainian name is Bakhmut), Russian troops also attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the areas of the settlements of Konstantinovka, Bogdanovka and Krasnoye in the DPR. During the day, the enemy lost up to 100 servicemen and one tank in the Artemovsk tactical direction, the Defense Ministry specified.

The day before, on May 20, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the private military company Wagner, announced the capture of Artemovsk. He clarified that before May 25, PMC fighters would inspect the territory and, after the creation of defensive lines, they would hand over the city to the military. On the night of May 21, the liberation of Artemovsk confirmed in the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated PMC “Wagner” and the Russian military with the capture of the city. In the Kremlin press service clarifiedthat all those who distinguished themselves in the battles at Artemovsk will be presented for state awards.

In Kyiv, commenting on the status of Artemovsk, they make conflicting statements. Earlier today, Reuters reported that in response to a question about whether the city is under the control of Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky answered: “I think not. Today Bakhmut remains only in our hearts.” However, later the press secretary of the President of Ukraine Sergey Nikiforov declaredthat Zelensky’s words referred to a remark by another journalist who mentioned the statement of the Russian Ministry of Defense about the capture of Artemovsk. Nikiforov stressed that the Ukrainian leader denied the surrender of the city.