Moscow, Mar 15 (Prensa Latina) Russian forces today took control of the Zaliznyanskoye settlement and are expanding the encirclement of Artiomovsk in the Donetsk People’s Republic, the head of the Wagner military company, Evgueni Prigozhin, said.
‘Wagner assault detachments are expanding the encirclement of Artiomovsk (Bakhmut for Ukrainians), after they liberated the small locality of Zaliznianskoye on Wednesday,’ Prigozhin reported on his Telegram channel.
Artiomovsk is located in the part of the Donetsk People’s Republic controlled by Kiev and is an important transport center for supplying Ukrainian troops in Donbas.
Over this important communications junction fierce battles have been raging since the summer of last year. On March 11, Prigozhin reported that Russian forces were 1.2 km from the administrative center of Artiomovsk, dominating all the surrounding heights.
In the city there are, according to intelligence estimates, between 10,000 and 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers, who are in danger of being encircled by Russian units.
by now it has been officially stated that the battle around Bakhmut is by all means a “wagner operation” with the russian army acting as support. So that’s why it seems like it’s only them right now. It’s different in the kupyansk or avdiivka front
Wagner has recent and extensive experience in urban fighting, having fought for example in Benghazi and Palmyra. The russian army lacks that kind of recent experience. So the leadership just decided to outsource the grind into the stubbornly and foolishly held Bakhmut to wagner.
On top of that, being a pmc, Wagner doesn’t have to abide by the same standards of life conservation the national army is expected to adhere to. Which is a plus in urban warfare, where recon by fire is pretty much your only option.
in other words, Wagner is just better suited for the job as they are generally better than the russian army at fighting building by building.
And that’s supposed to be something positive? Just listen to how it sounds. A privately owned mercenary gang is fighting a battle and killing people by itself. While official, state military is “providing support”, like some truck subcontractor.
Which are still illegal under Russian law, btw
Again, how the hell is that supposed to be a plus?
Look, we have all read history. We know how these gamblings with mercenaries work out. Just ask Italian city states and signor Sforza.
Never said it was a good thing
Never said pmcs are legal in russia
Never said that their wasteful attitude towards human life is good
I was just trying to explain what’s going on and what justifies their presence in the eyes of Putin.
I seriously don’t get what you’re on about