Moscow has now confirmed that the Ukrainian Town of Soledar has completely fallen and is under the full control of Russian troops.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said that Russian army had completed the capture of Soledar overnight.
On Friday, the ministry said Russian forces were able to capture Soledar after constantly bombarding Ukrainian positions.
Russian forces spearheaded by Wagner Group, a private paramilitary organization, had advanced into Soledar in recent days after shifting their firepower there following months of failed attempts to seize the nearby city of Bakhmut.
“The liberation of Soledar was completed on the evening of Jan. 12, which is important for the continuation of successful offensive operations in the Donetsk direction,” the military said in a daily briefing.
The Defense Ministry said the capture of Soledar will cut off supply lines for the remaining Ukrainian troops in Bakhmut and allow for their encirclement.
The Defense Ministry credited its aviation, missile and airborne forces for the assault, which it said killed 700 Ukrainian troops and 300 weapons in three days.
For Ukraine, on Friday Deputy Defence Minister Ganna Malyar said Ukrainian forces were resisting a “high intensity” offensive, adding this was a “difficult phase of the war”.
“It was hot overnight in Soledar,” she added. “Hostilities continued. The enemy relocated almost all of its main forces to the Donetsk front and is maintaining a high intensity offensive.”
