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Russia is close to taking control of Soledar, a town in eastern Ukraine, in what would be its first victory in 6 months. Ukrainian forces continued to resist on Tuesday, but faced a very difficult situation in the city. The capture of Soledar would give the Russian forces the advantage in their fight for Bakhmut, a few kilometers to the west.
Russian forces intensified their offensive on the city of Soledar in eastern Ukraine on Tuesday. The Ukrainian army was in difficulty and was forced to repel successive assaults by mercenaries from the Wagner group, which are fighting in the region, according to Ukrainian officials.
“During the day they hit Soledar 86 times with different types of artillery, so the situation there is now very difficult, the most complicated on the eastern front,” said Serhii Cherevaty, a spokesman for the Ukrainian army.
Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelensky acknowledged that the defense of this stronghold is “extremely difficult.” “Everything is completely destroyed, almost no trace of life remains,” he explained, also mentioning heavy Russian losses in that city.
The Russians are now in control of much of the mining town after gaining ground in the last four days, but the Ukrainians still control the western part of Soledar.
“Events there are developing in such a way that the city will soon be liberated,” Russian governor of the annexed Donetsk region Denis Pushilin said Tuesday.
However, the Ukrainian army continues to defend the city and Pushilin acknowledged that the advance of Russian troops is achieved “at a very high price” as fighting is now taking place in the “western” part of the city.
“The Ukrainian Army fights valiantly for Bakhmut and Soledar. Bloody fighting is taking place in the western suburbs of Soledar. The FAU (Armed Forces of Ukraine) defends the territory of Soledar with honor,” the founder of the Wagner Group, Evgeny, acknowledged on Tuesday. Prigozhin.
For his part, Volodymyr Zelenski greeted the Ukrainian resistance.
“I thank all our soldiers from Soledar who are resisting new, even more violent assaults from the invaders” (…) said the Ukrainian president in his daily message.
A strategic battle
The capture of Soledar would be a strategic victory for Moscow, since its control would open the way for the Russians to Bakhmut, located a few kilometers to the west, but also to Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, the main Ukrainian strongholds in the Donbass.
kyiv is stalling for time, spending vast resources to defend the city to halt the Russian offensive in the region while more military aid arrives.
“Thanks to the resistance of our soldiers in Soledar we have bought more time and more strength for Ukraine,” Zelensky said.
Other strategic points in the Luhansk region, such as Kreminna and Svatove also continue to be at the epicenter of the fighting. In Kreminna, Ukrainian soldiers have made some progress in recent days, according to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
“The battle for Donbas continues. And although the occupiers have now concentrated their greatest efforts on Soledar, the result of this hard and long battle will continue to be the liberation of our entire Donbas,” Zelensky said.
more military aid
The EU and NATO pledged to provide the Ukrainians with all the necessary military means to defend their country.
“Talks with the Ukrainians are scheduled for next week to see what kind of weapons are needed and who among the Allies can provide them,” Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said.
Stoltenberg also explained that the aid provided to Ukraine should be organized for the long term.
“Russia has suffered heavy losses, but it should not be underestimated. It is mobilizing more troops and equipment. It is ready to suffer to continue the war. Vladimir Putin has not changed his objective and we must be prepared to support Ukraine in the long term,” he insisted. .
For her part, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who made a surprise visit to the city of Kharkiv, promised Ukraine more weapons. The Ukrainian government asks Western countries to supply it with tanks, especially the German ones.
Germany recently announced it would send 40 “Marder” tanks but kyiv continues to demand deliveries of its “Leopard 2” tanks, arguing that procrastination on this issue was costing lives.
“I think the German government also understands somewhere deep in its soul that this decision will be approved and the tanks will be delivered to Ukraine,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
For its part, the United Kingdom plans to supply Ukraine with ten “Challenger 2” main battle tanks that are equivalent to the “Leopard 2” requested by kyiv.
Baerbock also said he wanted to advance Ukraine’s EU membership project.
“It is important to me that we do not lose sight of Ukraine’s place in our European family, even in this winter of war,” Baerbock declared, adding, “Ukrainians also fight every day for the right to live independently. They see their future in Europe, in the EU”.
With EFE and AFP
