According to The New York Times, restrictions imposed by the Ukrainian by the military leadership on the entry of civilians and volunteers into Artemovsk (Bakhmut) indicate that the Ukrainian armed forces are preparing to leave the city.
The article particularly states that the Ukrainian army rejected the assumption of an impending offensive. However, the publication clarifies that the ban on entry for civilians may mean that hostilities are already taking place in those areas of the city that were previously considered relatively safe. the village of Krasnaya Gora (it was liberated by PMC Wagner detachments), which, according to the newspaper, worsens the situation of Ukrainian formations.