MOSCOW, March 11. /TASS/. The founder of the Wagner private military company, Yevgeny Prigozhin said that Russian forces are located 1.2 kilometers from the administrative center of Artemovsk (Ukrainian name - Bakhmut).

"That's about a five-story building where the smoke comes from - the building of the city administration, the administrative center of the city. It's one kilometer and two hundred meters away," Prigozhin said in a video from the positions of Russian forces in Artemovsk, published on Saturday in the telegram channel of his press service.

The founder of the Wagner private military company also attached a video showing the former main fortified areas of the Ukrainian armed forces, from where they controlled the north-eastern part of Artemovsk. He also noted that the Ukrainian armed forces will try to conduct a counteroffensive from the north of the city.

"It is important for us that the fighters cover our flanks. If the flanks are covered, then everything is in order," Prigozhin added.

Artemovsk is located in the Kiev-controlled part of the People’s republic of Donetsk. Fierce battles are going on for the city. According to the latest reports, Russian forces have cut or taken under fire control all paved roads to the city. The thaw that has begun seriously complicates the delivery of ammunition and personnel of the Ukrainian armed forces.