It would be a first victory after many setbacks. The Russian army claimed on Friday that it had completely conquered the town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine. These statements have yet to be independently verified.
“The liberation of the city of Soledar, which is important for the continuation of offensive operations” in the Donetsk region, was completed on the night of January 12, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
The capture of Soledar, a small pre-war town of about 10,000, now completely destroyed, would allow Moscow to finally brandish a military victory, after a series of humiliating setbacks.
Fighting in and around Soledar has been raging for several months, but its intensity has increased considerably in recent days, with the Ukrainian army fighting in this small town known for its salt mines against mercenaries from the Russian Wagner paramilitary group.
On Friday, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Ganna Maliar said on Telegram that the night had been “hot”: “The enemy has thrown almost all its main forces in the direction of (the) Donetsk region and is maintaining a high-profile offensive. intensity,” she said.
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Source: BFM TV
