Russia claims to occupy Soledar in Ukraine

Russian mercenary militia group Wagner Forces has claimed control of the eastern Ukrainian salt mining town of Soledar.

Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based international media outlet, reported that fighting is still going on in the center of the city. The capture of this city is very important for Russia. Because the capture of Soledar is essential for Russia to take full control of the neighboring strategic city of Bakhmut and Ukraine's larger eastern Donbass region. So far, no Ukrainian military official has commented on the matter.

Wagner's chief, Yevgeny Prigozhin, told Russian media that Wagner's troops had taken control of the entire area of Soledar. But there is a war situation in the heart of the city. There is still fighting going on.

He added that Ukrainian troops were given a midnight deadline to surrender. He said that the number of captured Ukrainian soldiers will be announced soon.

The salt mining town of Soledar is about 15 km from Bakhmut. Taking it over would make Russia much stronger militarily, commercially. Russian state media RIA reported that Wagner Group has taken over the Soledar salt mine. Prigozhin published a photo of himself standing in front of a salt mine with his mercenaries.

Earlier, Britain's Ministry of Defense said that Russian troops and Wagner fighters had taken control of most of Soledar after advancing for four days. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not mention Soledar's control in his regular video address Tuesday evening.

For several months, fighters from Wagner's forces have been fighting for control of Bakhmut and Soledar, causing many casualties on both sides. The capture of Soledar would be Russia's most significant success in a 'special military operation' since August. By mid-2022, the country was forced to withdraw from several regions of northeastern and southern Ukraine.