Ukraine's Soledar town captured, claims Russia

kyiv, January 12

Russia said on Friday that its forces had taken control of the salt-mining town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine, claiming to have made its first big battlefield gain after half a year of military setbacks. However, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s eastern military command, Serhiy Cherevatyi, denied that the Russian forces had seized control of Soledar.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had captured the town on Thursday evening. It said this would make it possible to cut off Ukrainian supply routes to the larger town of Bakhmut, to the southwest, and trap the remaining Ukrainian forces there.

Ukraine said on Friday that its forces were still holding out in Soledar after a “hot” night of fighting in what has become one of the bloodiest battlegrounds of the entire war.

“The capture of Soledar was made possible by the constant bombardment of the enemy,” Russia’s Defence Ministry said. — Reuters