Commentary by Russian military journalist Boris Rozhin in italics
[ColonelCassad] About the situation in the Artemovsk region for the channel of military commissar Yuri Kotenok
1. As of March 2, the situation for the enemy in the Artemovsk area continued to deteriorate. In the north, the fighting is shifting towards Khromovo. Bogdanovka has not yet been taken, the battles are going on nearby. Dubovo-Vasilyevka has not yet been taken. Reports of its control are premature.
2. The battles are shifting strictly to the south from Yagodny and Berkhovka. The enemy left part of the northern quarters of Bakhmut due to the threat of encirclement and, obviously, will defend himself based on the AZOM plant and adjacent quarters, to which our assault groups are approaching from the north and northeast.
Premature reports of complete control of Zabakhmutovka. It has not been completely taken and cleaned up, but the process is underway. The enemy is gradually crushed.
4. In the south, it is not yet possible to reach the plane. The enemy holds positions in the northern part of the Mariupol cemetery and quarters near the road from Krasnoe.
5. Not being able to stabilize the situation in the north of the city and regain control over the highway from Slavyansk, the enemy is trying with all his might to push us back from the Chasov Yar - Krasnoe - Artemovsk highway in order to use it at least at night to supply forces in the city. The transfer of tanks and light armored vehicles to Chasov Yar was noted for counterattack attempts. So far, there are no signs of the withdrawal of the Ukrainian group from Bakhmut. Despite the losses and some demoralization among the parts of the TrO, nevertheless, one cannot speak of collapse and loss of control.
6. The enemy hastily prepares a new defensive line Rai-Aleksandrovka - Chasov Yar - Konstantinovka after the loss of Bakhmut. Now fortification work is being carried out there and reinforcements are being transferred. Both Chasov Yar and Konstantinovka are close enough to our forward positions, and the intensification of hostilities in this direction is predictable even before the end of the battle for Artemovsk.
7. Western sources have been very pessimistic in recent days with a slight hint that Artyomovsk is not worth the losses and costs that the Ukrainian army incurs in trying to keep the city. Nevertheless, in the slogans of Kyiv, Bakhmut continues to be "heroically" defended. The more troops we grind here, the better it will be for other operations in other directions.
https://t.me/voenkorKotenok/45787 - zinc