On July 6, the anniversary of the liberation of Bakhmut (formerly Artemivsk until 2016) from Russian occupation in 2014 is celebrated. On this day, Ukrainian soldiers, including National Guard fighters and the Armed Forces, first liberated the city, ending a three-month occupation.
Pro-Russian militants of the so-called "DNR" attempted to take control of the city since April 2014. They managed to disrupt the work of polling stations in Artemivsk during the presidential elections in May, as well as seize part of the administrative buildings, including the city council and the local prosecutor's office. The militants also tried to capture the 1282nd Supply Center for weapons and equipment to gain access to large stockpiles of weapons and ammunition. However, the fighters of the 3rd Separate Special Purpose Regiment were able to organize a competent defense of this military unit.
The first battle for the liberation of the city took place between the Ministry of Internal Affairs battalion "Artemivsk" and pro-Russian militants on July 4, 2014, during a reconnaissance raid by Ukrainian troops. Just two days later, on July 6, units of the National Guard and the Armed Forces conducted an operation to liberate Artemivsk.
Since 2014, a new stage in the city's development began. It had a developed and atypical for the region industry: salt mining and winemaking. In 2016, it was returned to its historical name – Bakhmut, the city of sparkling wines and roses.
With renewed intensity, hostilities for Bakhmut flared up in May 2022. They were most active in the winter of 2022–2023.
The defense of Bakhmut became a symbol of the resilience of the Ukrainian army, which opposed the hordes of Russian soldiers and criminal mercenaries recruited from the Wagner Group.
Unfortunately, the next anniversary of the liberation of Bakhmut is met under occupation. Russian missile and artillery strikes have turned it into ruins…
On this commemorative day, we honor all defenders of Ukraine and civilians who have been cynically killed by Russia since the beginning of the eleven-year war against Ukraine.