Russian forces encircle Bakhmut

The Russian troops complete the operational encirclement of Bakhmut (the Russian name of the city is Artemovsk), the commander of Akhmat special forces unit, deputy commander of the 2nd Army Corps of the People's Militia of the Luhansk People's Republic, Apty Alaudinov said, TASS reports.

According to Alaudinov, the Russian forces have blocked almost all the ways that the Armed Forces of Ukraine were using. The Ukrainian military have only one route at its disposal, but the Russian forces are going to take total control of the route very soon, he added.

It was earlier reported that the Ukrainian army was deploying additional forces to the Bakhmut area as it was suffering losses on the outskirts of the city.

It was also said that the Russian forces took control of the local champagne factory, which was one of the largest enterprises in the industry in all of Eastern Europe.

“Our fighters are advancing very well. The enemy is trying to throw new units in there in agony. They have not been very successful in doing this, because they starting suffering losses already as they approach,” said Alaudinov.

He also stated that the supplies of Western tanks would not have a strong impact on the course of the special operation. If NATO tanks could have made a significant contribution to the development of the hostilities, the issue of their participation on the battlefield would have been decided in the first months of the conflict.