Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin
[ColonelCassad] 1. The enemy will lose the last positions in the city before the end of the week - the average forecast now on both sides is 1-3 days. What remains of the Artemovsk garrison will crawl back to Krasnoye and Khromovo with losses in the coming days. The rest will remain in the city, since they have already stopped taking prisoners there.
2. Since after the ousting of the Armed Forces of Ukraine from Artemovsk, the fighting will continue in the fields to the west of the city, as well as in the Khromovo and Krasnoy regions, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue to pretend that the "Bakhmut Fortress" is standing, after which, in 1-2 weeks, they will announce that "withdrew to more advantageous positions" and "in general, Bakhmut never mattered much."
3. The current attacks to the north and south of the city are unlikely to lead to significant breakthroughs in the front, but tactical successes may allow the Armed Forces of Ukraine to somewhat dampen the inevitable tantrums in Ukraine about the surrender of the Bakhmut Fortress.
4. In the middle of the day on May 18, the enemy continued to attack in the direction of Berkhovka and Kleshcheevka. There are intense battles. The enemy also continues to attack in the area of ​​Sacco and Vanzetti. The village itself is held by our troops, the enemy is pressing from the northwest and north. Those reserves are now being used, which for a long time were collected in the area of ​​​​Konstantinovka, Chasov Yar and Aleksandrovka.
5. With all the tactical troubles for us in the area of ​​​​Bogdanovka, Kleshcheevka and Sacco and Vanzetti, the continuation of these attacks after the loss of Artemovsk by the enemy will allow, with competent command and control of the Russian Defense Ministry and the strengthening of the interaction of the RF Ministry of Defense with the Wagner PMC, to grind part of the enemy’s operational reserves in Slavyansko-Kramatorsk direction, which will be of no small importance in subsequent battles to break through the defense line of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Konstantinovka-Chasov Yar-Rai-Aleksandrovka, with the aim of a full-fledged entry into the Slavnya-Kramatorsk agglomeration. The fights here will also be heavy.
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More from Rozhin:
Tikhanovskaya's voters in Artemovsk
Tikhanovskaya's voters is a reference to Belorussian politician Sviatlana Heorhiyeuna Tsikhanouskaya, who attempted to unseat Belorussian president Aleksandr Lukashenko in 2020 presidential elections.
[ColonelCassad] Remarkable footage of the destruction of the branch of the Belarusian Nazis from the gang "Kalinovsky's regiment" appeared.
The operator patiently waited until the entire squad was unloaded and entered a house in a private sector on the western outskirts of the city, after which it flew over.
Fans of white-red-white flags are not welcome on the territory of the Russian city of Artemovsk.
PS. In the evening, "Wagner" took the last major fortified area "Domino" in the outskirts of high-rise buildings. A few hundred meters of Artemovsk remained at the disposal of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow they will announce the liberation of the city.
More from Russian military blogger Andrey Chervonets
Russian Defense Ministry units expose the flanks of Wagner PMC in Artemovsk
Prigozhin said that the enemy is attacking north of the village of Sacco and Vanzetti.
Sacco and Vanzetti is an actual name of a settlement near Artemovsk
"Unfortunately, units of the Russian Defense Ministry retreated up to 570 meters north of Bakhmut, exposing our flags," said Prigozhin.
"I appeal to the top leadership of the Ministry of Defense publicly, because my letters are not read "Please don't give up the flanks.... Hold on as best you can for a few more days."
P.S.
Evgeny Viktorovich apparently means that after the final liberation of Artemovsk (about 1.28 km2 of the 41 km2 of the city area remained), the PMCs will free up forces to hold the flanks on their own. In general, it is strange, the front is basically standing still, and at the same time, the task of holding two villages causes so many difficulties for Shoigu and Gerasimov.
Yesterday Prigozhin spoke about Gerasimov's "rebound". Here is yesterday's summary from the head of the PMC:
"Today, units of PMC Wagner have advanced up to 260 meters, occupying an area of ​​180,000 square meters. The enemy has 1.28 square kilometers left under control. The enemy is putting up fierce resistance.
Fights are going on for every house, for every entrance, for every square meter territory, despite the fact that a couple of percent of the territory remained under the enemy in Bakhmut. It is not possible to encircle the enemy due to the fact that, as reported by the Ministry of Defense, the Russian Airborne Forces, as a result of the offensive in the Artemovsk region, occupied an advantageous line.
Yes, indeed, the Russian Airborne Forces, as a result of the enemy’s offensive in the Artemovsk region, occupied a line advantageous for the enemy. This new strategic maneuver, which, I am sure, will be included in all military textbooks, will be called "instantaneous, decisive rebound from the enemy", "rebound of Gerasimov".
Brusilovsky breakthrough. Therefore:
"AN INSTANT, RESOLUTION FROM THE ENEMY", unfortunately, today does not allow Artemovsk to be slammed, but we are advancing and in the coming days Artemovsk will be taken."