Russia may seize Ukrainian Soledar in tough battles
2023.01.10 03:43
Russia may seize Ukrainian Soledar in tough battles
By Tiffany Smith
Budrigannews.com – According to officials in Kyiv, Russian troops have increased their assault on the town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine, requiring Ukrainian troops to repel waves of mercenary-led attacks.
Tuesday, the British defense ministry said that Russian and Wagner contract group forces probably now control most of the small salt mining town after four days of advances.
In some of the most intense trench warfare since Russia invaded Ukraine nearly 11 months ago, troops from both sides have been suffering heavy losses in Soledar, which is located in the industrial Donbas region. Bakhmut is only a few miles away from Soledar.
In a brief intelligence report, Britain stated, “Russia’s Soledar axis is highly likely an effort to envelop Bakhmut from the north and to disrupt Ukrainian lines of communication.”
In his Monday night video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy stated that Bakhmut and Soledar were surviving despite widespread destruction.
He mentioned new and more intense attacks in Soledar, where, according to him, there were no walls left up and the land was covered in Russian corpses.
Zelenskiy stated, “We have won for Ukraine additional time and additional strength thanks to the tenacity of our soldiers in Soledar.” By gaining strength or time, he didn’t say what he meant.
In a press conference on Monday, the Russian defense ministry did not mention either Soledar or Bakhmut.
Yevgeny Prigozhin, a friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin, started Wagner. It is active in conflicts in Africa and has played a significant role in Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, drawing some recruits from Russia’s prisons.
For months, Prigozhin has attempted to capture Bakhmut and Soledar, resulting in numerous casualties on both sides.
On Saturday, he stated that its significance lay in a system of deep mining tunnels below the surface that can accommodate tanks or troops.
According to a U.S. official, Prigozhin was interested in the salt and gypsum from the mines, which are thought to extend more than 100 miles underground and contain auditorium-sized caverns.
According to Oleh Zhdanov, a Ukrainian military analyst, the battles in Bahkmut and Soledar were “the most intense on the entire frontline.”
He stated on YouTube, “So many remain on the battlefield… either dead or wounded.”
“They come at us in waves, but the wounded usually die where they are, either from being exposed to the cold or from bleeding. There is no one coming to assist them or bring the deceased from the battlefield.
Olha, 60, claimed that she had fled Soledar after moving from apartment to apartment as each was destroyed by tanks in an evacuee center in Kramatorsk.
“Not a single house has survived intact. Olha, who only used her first name, said that apartments were on fire and splitting in half.
General Valery Zaluzhniy, commander-in-chief of Ukraine, has issued a warning that Russia is preparing fresh troops for a new offensive against Ukraine, possibly targeting Kyiv, the capital.
In addition, it would appear that Zelenskiy is relying on the acquisition of more advanced weapons from Ukraine’s Western partners in order to ward off attacks and eventually drive out Russian troops.
He continued his diplomatic efforts on Monday by speaking with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala.
“I am confident that these weapons and equipment will be provided to our soldiers at the front.” Soon,” he stated.
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In response to a long-standing request from Ukraine, France, Germany, and the United States all pledged to send armored fighting vehicles last week. Sky News, citing a Western source, reported that Britain is considering providing tanks to Ukraine for the first time. The Defense Ministry of Britain did not respond.
