It’s been almost a year since Russia invaded Ukraine, Russia has both lost and successfully captured key Ukrainian cities. Recently, Ukranian offences have been disastrous for Russia and her economy. However, recently Russia took full control of the key town of Soledar. It’s major success for Russian forces in the last six months.
The Wagner Group has claimed it has taken full control of the key Donetsk town of Soledar but admitted fierce fighting was still under way in the centre.
Yevgenny Prigozhin, the head of the pro-Kremlin Russian mercenary group, said: “Wagner units took control of the entire territory of Soledar. A cauldron has been formed in the centre of the city in which urban fighting is going on.”
Soledar, about seven miles northeast of Bakhmut, has been on the front line since July last year, but Russia began a particularly concentrated assault against it just before New Year.
Taking the salt-mining town in Ukraine’s east would hand the Russians its first battlefield breakthrough in six months and enable them to attempt an encirclement of Bakhmut.
Kyiv denied claims that the Wagner group had taken Soledar, with the Ukrainian military saying that “Soledar was, is and will be Ukrainian.”
