MOSCOW, December 13. /TASS/. Ukraine’s defenses in the city of Artyomovsk are crumbling and are being sustained only because of continuous reinforcement with fresh troops, Andrey Marochko, an officer of the People’s Militia of the Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR), said on Tuesday.

"Ukraine’s line of defense is coming apart at the seams, but is maintained by means of regular deployment of fresh forces who are crushed by our troops. The expression ‘Artyomovsk slaughterhouse’ is being used not only by us but also by Ukrainian and foreign mass media. It reflects the actual situation. Because it is a nightmare for Ukrainian soldiers," he said in an interview with the Solovyov Live television channel.

Apart from that, Marochko said, citing reconnaissance data that many Ukrainian soldiers refuse to fulfill the command’s criminal orders. Moreover, in his words, Ukraine’s army is short of munitions, weapons and transport vehicles.

"They (Ukrainian militants - TASS) are now starving not only for munitions, but also for vehicles, since they now have to move by foot whereas those vehicles that are supplied to them are not meant to be used in our climate," he added.