Russia Ukraine War: Russia made a sensational claim on Friday amidst the ongoing war with Ukraine. Russia has claimed that it has captured the eastern city of Soledar in Ukraine. However, Ukraine has questioned Russia’s claim. The statement issued by Ukraine said that there was fierce fighting in the night, but it denied that Soledar had been captured by Russia. At the same time, the President of Ukraine Zelensky also issued a video statement regarding this. He said that the Ukrainian army has maintained its positions in important places.
Said to be a symbol of rare victory
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the capture of Soledar would mark a “rare victory” for Russia after several setbacks in the war against Ukraine. The ministry said Russian forces have captured Soledar, the center of a bloody conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces. Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkov said that the liberation of the city of Soledar was completed on the evening of 12 January. He added that the development was important for the continuation of offensive operations in the Donetsk region. Konashenkov said that having control over Soledar would allow Russian forces to cut the supply line of Ukrainian forces at Bakhmut and then encircle Ukrainian units.
Ukraine said this
However, the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, said the Russian capture of Soledar was not an operationally significant development and was unlikely to lead to the encirclement of Bakhmut. Meanwhile, just hours before Russia’s claim, Ukraine said there had been heavy fighting overnight but did not say the city had been taken over by Russia. In a telegram post early Friday, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliyar said Moscow has sent almost all of its main forces to conquer the eastern city, but Ukrainian fighters are valiantly trying to defend it. He said that this is a difficult phase of the war, but we will win. It doesn’t have any message.
could not confirm
There was no immediate confirmation from Ukrainian officials of Russia’s claim of capturing Soledar, which falls under eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk province. Donetsk is one of four regions Moscow annexed to Russia in September. There have been conflicting reports over control of Soledar, which has been fighting a fierce battle for nearly a month. Please tell that this city of Ukraine is a Soledar salt mine.