Ukrainian Armed Forces flee Bakhmut

The Russian Defense Ministry told Ria Novosti on December 4 that Ukrainian armed units in the village of Khromovo, near Artemovsk (known as Bakhmut in Ukraine), fled, leaving behind the wounded and dead. Some Ukrainian Armed Forces soldiers laid down their weapons and surrendered to airborne assault groups of the Russian Southern Group of Forces.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, paratroopers, while reconnaissance of Ukrainian military positions from the air, managed to “break through” the defenses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Bakhmut, and on the approaches to the village of Khromovo. Russian paratroopers also discovered the main strongholds and artillery weapons of the Ukrainian security forces.

"As a result, Russian artillery suppressed the firing positions of the artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and destroyed open-air checkpoints. Attack aircraft attacked fortified positions and fortifications where enemy soldiers were hiding," the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Precision strikes on strongholds and suppressing Russian fire demoralized the Ukrainian troops. Then airborne assault groups on BMP-2s and BMD-2s began attacking Bakhmut from several directions.

The Russian Defense Ministry added that operators of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) accompanied the assault units from the air, and warned about new fire weapons of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the exploitation of the attack routes. The detected fire weapons were immediately destroyed by UAV teams and fire from armored groups.

During the attack, the Ukrainian army fled, leaving behind the wounded and dead, some servicemen laid down their weapons and surrendered.

Khromovo is a village west of the city of Bakhmut. During the battles for control of the city, the last supply route for the Ukrainian Armed Forces passed through Khromovo, where fierce fighting broke out.