The official added that there are still fierce combats going on both day and night, especially on the outskirts of the city and in the neighborhoods occupied by Ukrainian units not long ago.

The Russian military command in Donbass reported that enemy units are relocating their reserves to Artiomovsk despite the heavy losses they are suffering there.

Pushilin also noted that the liberation of the village of Blagodatnoye, northwest of Soledar, allowed Russian forces to take better positions and cut off one of the supply routes used to resupply the Ukrainian grouping in Artiomovsk.

The founder and CEO of the Wagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, announced on Sunday that Blagodatnoye is under the control of Russian forces.

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