LUGANSK, June 29. /TASS/. The Ukrainian armed forces’ command has reinforced assault groups for an offensive towards Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut in Ukraine) and Soledar, Andrey Marochko, a retired lieutenant colonel in the Lugansk People’s Republic’s (LPR) People’s Militia, told TASS.

"The Ukrainian armed forces are stepping up their offensive activities near the cities of Artyomovsk and Soledar. The enemy’s assault groups have been reinforced by armored vehicles and their personnel strength has been increased," he pointed out.

According to Marochko, the enemy has also significantly increased the number of shelling attacks on the two cities.

On Wednesday, Russian Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said that Russia’s Battlegroup South had repelled five Ukrainian attacks near Artyomovsk, Pervomaiskoye, Petrovskoye and Vesyoloye in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).