Zelensky said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will not surrender Artemovsk

Ukrainian troops will not surrender Artemivsk, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference following the EU-Ukraine summit, transmit “RIA News”.

“Surrender Bakhmut [Артемовск] no one will. We will fight as long as we can,” the Ukrainian president said.

Earlier today, adviser to the head of Zelensky’s office Mikhail Podolyak refused name the losses of the armed forces of Ukraine in Artemovsk. According to him, Kyiv “pays the highest price” for holding the city.

On February 1, military expert and ex-lieutenant colonel of the LPR Andrey Marochko declaredthat the Russian troops had to go a few kilometers to capture Artemovsk in the ring. He also added that if the Ukrainian troops try to get out of the encirclement, then “for them it could turn into a disaster.”

The flight of Ukrainian servicemen from Artemivsk is still possible, and some military men are still trying to do it by “secret paths”, he believes. Earlier, assistant to the acting head of the DPR, Yan Gagin, on the air of the Russia 24 TV channel, said that the Russian Armed Forces had attacked columns of the Ukrainian military and the Russian army partially controlled the route between Artemovsk and Chasovy Yar.

Russia’s special operation in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin called the protection of the inhabitants of Donbass, as well as the demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine, its goals. During the special operation, Russian troops took full control of the LPR, as well as most of the DPR, Kherson and Zaporozhye regions. Subsequently, these territories became part of Russia, and on October 19 martial law was introduced in the regions.