Ukraine’s Armed Forces report Russian troops have not captured Soledar
The Armed Forces of Ukraine state that the claims of the Russian military regarding the seizure of the city of Soledar are not true.
Source: Serhii Chrevatyi, spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in a comment to Suspilne [Ukraine's public broadcaster – ed.]
Quote: "The Russians say that Soledar is under their control, but that is not true. Wait for details in the General Staff report."
Details: On the night of 11 January, the press service of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the owner of Wagner Private Military Company, posted a photo allegedly from the Soledar salt mine and reported that the entire territory of the city has allegedly been taken under the control of their fighters.
The Strategic Communications Department of the Armed Forces of Ukraine called this information a Russian information and psychological operation (IPSO).
"It seems that Prigozhin’s location is not accurate, and he is not in Soledar mines. An item of IPSO from Prigozhin’s PR people, which is aimed at a domestic audience, in order to somehow justify the huge losses among convicts," the department said.
Background:
- On the evening of 10 January, Hanna Maliar, Deputy Head of the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence, said that the Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to hold the defence of the city of Soledar, Donetsk Oblast, with fierce fighting ongoing.
- CNN reported that the situation in Soledar is critical and dynamic, buildings change hands every day, and the death toll is so high that "no one counts the dead".
- Analysts from the Institute for War Studies reported that Russian troops have not captured the whole city of Soledar, but even if they do, Bakhmut will not be encircled.
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