Kiev clinging to Artyomovsk in bid to buy time for arms shipments, Zelensky claims

Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky explained away Ukrainian armed forces’ unwillingness to surrender Artyomovsk as an attempt to buy time to obtain Western weapons in his interview with Der Spiegel.

Answering a question as to why Ukrainian forces have not withdrawn from Artyomovsk, Zelensky said: "We are currently buying time for arms shipments in order to get our army reinforced."

According to Zelensky, Ukrainian intelligence agencies disagree with Western experts’ conclusion that the city has no strategic importance.

Currently, fierce fighting is raging in the Artyomovsk area. Previously, Acting DPR Head Denis Pushilin said that the fighting has already engulfed the city outskirts, and city neighborhoods that were recently controlled by the Kiev regime’s forces. On Thursday, Bloomberg reported, citing US and EU officials that Western states had advised the Zelensky regime to stall for time, save its strength and wait for the shipment of the promised Leopard tanks, in order to launch a spring counteroffensive, even if it means losing Artyomovsk now.