It is the mercenaries in Wagner who have been responsible for the fighting on the Russian side in Soledar. There have also been several reports that Russian airborne forces, VDV, have been deployed in this front section. Russian media have published photos that are supposed to be from Soledar. It should be by the Wagner Group’s founder Yevgeny Prigozhin. The photos must have been taken inside the salt mines located in the northern part of Soledar. TOGETHER WITH A BATTLE CHARION: Another picture to show Yevgeny Prigozhin in Soledar. The picture has been published through Wagner’s Telegram channel. Photo: Wagner/Telegram Surrounded In Russian social media, it has been claimed over the past 24 hours that the Ukrainian forces in Soledar are surrounded. On Tuesday evening, Prigozhin said something that could be interpreted in that direction. – The Wagner group has taken control of all of Soledar. Fighting is still taking place in the center of the city. The Ukrainians there are in a pot. The number of prisoners will be made public tomorrow, Yevgeny Prigozhin said through a Telegram channel he controls. Officially, the Russians report that it is too early to declare victory in Soledar. AFP writes. Still open The Russian military blogger Igor Girkin denies that the Ukrainians are surrounded. Girkin is a controversial person. Among other things, he is wanted internationally for terrorism. Nevertheless, it is recognized that he has good insight into what is happening in Ukraine. – The capture of the center and most of Soledar by Wagner units is an undoubted tactical success. However, the enemy’s front was not broken through. It was not possible to surround the units and sub-units defending the city. The enemy is creating a new line of defense on the western outskirts, writes Girkin on Wednesday morning on Telegram. HAVING INSIGHT: This photo of Igor Girkin was taken in 2014. Then he belonged to the Russian forces and was a central figure in Donbas. Girkin was directly involved in the downing of passenger plane MH17. Photo: Dmitry Lovetsky / AP The Ukrainians refuse Ukrainian media write that the information has not been confirmed. The Ukrainian defense claims on Wednesday that photos published by the Wagner group were not taken in Soledar. – Soledar was, is and will remain Ukrainian, says the strategic communications unit of the Ukrainian defense. AFP reports. The Ukrainian defense forces admitted yesterday that they may lose Soledar, but claimed that it would be a victory for the Ukrainians anyway. – The aim of defending Soledar is to wear out the Russians. Making them lose so many soldiers that a tactical victory becomes a victory they can’t really afford,” military spokesman Serhii Cherevatyi told The Kyiv Independent on Tuesday. IMPORTANT CITY: Soledar, eastern Ukraine. Symbolically important Soledar is located just ten kilometers northeast of the city of Bakhmut. The battles over Bakhmut have characterized the news picture in Ukraine for a long time. The battle for the city is seen as symbolic for both the Russians and the Ukrainians. There have been heavy losses on both sides. Heavy losses in the battle for an objective that is described as not particularly militarily important, but politically important. – Bakhmut is an important city for those who want to control Donetsk county. The Russian forces have a political directive from above that they should take control of Donetsk. Then they continue to attack in Bakhmut, military expert Lars Peder Haga has explained earlier. Tactical target – There is a railway line and some roads there, so it is a tactical target, explained military expert Palle Ydstebø at the War College earlier. Russian control of Soledar could make it more difficult for the Ukrainians to supply the forces in Bakhmut. This means that Bakhmut can fall if Soledar falls. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believes that there is not necessarily any automaticity in this. The question is whether the Russians will be able to take the supply lines to Bakhmut under fire from Soledar, which is not certain. If Bakhmut falls, it may be easier for the Russians to advance towards Slovjansk and Kramatorsk, although they will quickly encounter new Ukrainian defensive positions.
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Claims Ukrainian forces are surrounded in Soledar – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
