Ukraine says its soldiers are still fighting in Soledar, where also more than 500 civilians are still left, according to Reuters.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky informed on Thursday, the 12th of January, that Ukrainian soldiers are still fighting in Soledar, but did not provide further details. He stated that the leadership of the Ukrainian army has discussed the need for additional forces both in the city of the salt mine and in the surrounding cities, and plans to take action in the coming days.
Russian mercenaries Wagner’s group report that they have taken Soledar after heavy fighting, but Moscow has so far refrained from officially declaring success. Andrei Bayevsky, the Russian-appointed local governor, said that resistance positions still remained in Soledar.
The governor of Donetsk, Pavlo Kyrylenko, previously reported that 559 civilians, including 15 children, are in the destroyed city.
Drone video obtained by Reuters of the medical evacuation of Ukrainian soldiers shows deserted streets with only a few badly damaged buildings, the remains of blown-up trees, and debris covering everything. A 24-year-old Ukrainian soldier in position near Soledar said:
«The situation is difficult but stable. We’re holding back the enemy … we’re fighting back.»
US officials question the significance of Russia’s victory. Soledar is a little more than ten kilometers from Bahmut, and the area has been the scene of bloody battles for months. White House spokesman John Kirby said that even if the Russians take Soledar, it is of little strategic importance and will not stop the Ukrainians.
Oleksandr Kovalenko, an analyst at Ukraine’s Information Resistance Military-political group, said the fighting at Soledar had eased pressure on the more strategically important Bakhmut. Kovalenko added that the Soledar salt mine could serve as a hideout for Russian forces if they succeed in capturing the city.
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