DONETSK, February 20. /TASS/. The Ukrainian army’s resistance in the vicinity of Artyomovsk is persistent, however, on the frontline, the newly called-up forces are mostly being engaged, military-political expert Yan Gagin, adviser to the DPR leader, told TASS on Monday.

"Of course, they are not sitting on their hands there. Above all, the adversary is keeping the mobilized ones on the frontline. They are calling [people] up constantly, because, in the opinion of the Kiev command, the mobilized can be spared. Only then they engage the career military and mercenaries," he said.

That said, the official noted that lately, even artillery attacks on Donetsk, the DPR’s capital, have been less intensive than before. "The Ukrainian army lacks ammunition, and we have indeed destroyed a large amount of artillery, including American M777 howitzers and MLRS. And the adversary had to move the substantial part of artillery precisely to Artyomovsk and Ugledar, these are the two hottest fronts now," he added.

Artyomovsk is in the Kiev-controlled part of the DPR and is a major transport hub for supplies to the Ukrainian grouping in Donbass. Major clashes to take over the city are underway. Russian troops took control of a number of communities in the vicinity of Artyomovsk, including Kleshcheyevka, Podgorodnoye and Paraskovievka.