"There [in the western parts of Artemovsk] the fierce fighting is continuing, and the Wagner Group is advancing both day and night," Pushilin said.
He added that the city should be restored once completely taken by the Russian forces.
The hotly contested Artemovsk, located north of the city of Donetsk, has been the center of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine for months now. For Donbass, the city is an important transport hub with many crossroads, which served as a vital center for supplying Ukrainian troops stationed in the region at the beginning of the military operation launched by Russia in Ukraine a year ago.
According to the latest data, Russian troops have captured almost three quarters of the city and cut off or taken under fire control all the asphalt roads leading to it. The early spring season, marked by poor road conditions, has complicated the Ukrainian army's transportation of ammunition and personnel there.