MOSCOW, December 22. /TASS/. Russian forces steadily work on cutting the Ukrainian group near Artyomovsk (Bakhmut) off supply routes and perform a pincer movement on this group, Acting DPR Head Denis Pushilin told TASS Thursday.

"The situation in Artyomovsk remains complicated. The enemy keeps sending additional reserves there. […] The work on the outskirts continue; our goal is to perform a pincer movement and cut enemy’s supply routes is being carried out, albeit not as fast as we would like to, but for totally objective reasons," he said.

Earlier, DPR and LPR repeatedly reported that Ukrainian forces send additional forces to Artyomovsk, adding that Ukrainian units suffer serious casualties there.