A Russian mercenary group has announced that it has captured the salt mining town of Soledar, which has been the scene of heavy fighting in recent days, but this has not yet been officially confirmed, Reuters reports.
Ukrainian soldiers are still holding on in the center of Soledar. Kyiv’s statement on the morning of Wednesday, the 11th of January, mentioned Soledar as only one of the places experiencing heavy shelling in Donetsk.
The leadership of the Russian army has set Soledar as one of the main targets to further occupy Bakhmut and seize the entire Donbas region under its control. According to the information published by Russian news agencies, the owner of the Wagner Group, Yevhenii Prigozhin, said that the group has taken over almost the entire city and Ukrainians are surrounded in its center. If Russia succeeds in taking over Soledar, it will have symbolic, military, and commercial significance, however, the situation in Soledar is currently in fluid. The US has made the assumption that the salt mine is essential for Prigozhin’s personal gain.
In his speech on Tuesday, the 10th of January, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky repeatedly asked the West to supply more weapons and indicated that Russia is gathering forces for a new attack.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine wrote on Twitter:
«Even after suffering colossal losses, Russia is still maniacally trying to seize Soledar – home to the largest salt mine in Europe.»
Minister of Defense Hanna Maliara stated that the fighting in the city continues and Russians leave their dead comrades where they fell. The temperature in the battle areas is around minus 12 degrees Celsius.
Canada has announced that it will purchase the US-made NASAMS surface-to-air missile systems and put them at the disposal of Ukraine, while the Ukrainians will soon arrive in the US to begin training in the use of the Patriot air defense system. Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador in Washington, responded to this, declaring that this is clear evidence that the United States is on the side of the Nazis in Kyiv.
Read also: War in Ukraine: fierce battles for Soledar