The Russian Ministry of Defense assures that they have already taken Soledar but Ukraine denies it

The Russian Ministry of Defense affirmed this Friday that its troops have taken control of the town of solderin the eastern region of Donetskduring the night of December 12, as the spokesman for the Ministry, Lieutenant General Igor Konashenkovin the daily war part.

According to the department that directs Sergei Shoiguthe capture of the city, where intense fighting has been taking place in recent weeks, will cut off the supply routes of the Ukrainian troops in neighboring Bakhmut and encircle kyiv’s forces in that city.

Konashenkov claimed that the capture of the city, which It had about 10,000 inhabitants before the fighting and welcomes one of the largest salt mines in Europehas “great importance to continue offensive operations on the Donetsk front,” reports Efe.

[Putin sitúa al halcón del Kremlin al frente de su ejército para contener el ascenso del Grupo Wagner]

“During the operations for the liberation of Soledar, the units of the airborne forces carried out a covert maneuver from a different directionsuccessfully attacked the positions of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, occupied commanding heights and blocked the city from the north and south,” he said.

He added that “only during the last three days in the Soledar area were Killed more than 700 Ukrainian soldiers and more than 300 military equipment” of the enemy.

The capture of Soledar would have been made possible “due to constant ground and air attacks” by the army and missile artillery units of the Russian forces, it said.

It would be, if what they affirm from Moscow is true, of the first Russian victory in six months and it comes after days of bloody fighting whose intensity has been compared by the Ukrainian authorities to the battles of the World War II.

Ukraine denies it

Ukraine has denied that the information released by the Kremlin is true. This has been assured by Ukrainian Army this Friday, contradicting what was previously announced by the Russian Defense Ministry.

Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesman for the Eastern Forces Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, told RBC-Ukraine that “It is not true” that the Russian troops have taken the city and that the fighting continues there.

In fact, President Volodímir Zelenski had announced this Thursday the sending military reinforcements to Soledar and Bakhmut after “one hot night” in which they had “managed to resist” to the Russian offensives.

“The main theme is Soledar, Bajmut, the fight for the direction of Donetsk in general. We have analyzed in detail what decisions are needed, what reinforcements are needed, what steps commanders need to take in the coming days,” Zelensky said after a meeting with the General Staff.

“Everything that happens in Bajmut or Soledar is part of the bloodiest scenes of this war“Mikhailo Podoliak, adviser to the Ukrainian presidency, told AFP.