Mallika Dureja
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After Vladimir Putin’s private army claimed to have taken Soledar in eastern Ukraine, Kyiv said its troops were still defending the strategic town.
As battles raged in the centre, the Wagner Group claimed control of the salt-mining town late on Tuesday night.
Ukrainian military officials said Soledar was one of several Donetsk regions being shelled and that their soldiers were still fighting despite heavy fighting. “Wagner units took control of the entire territory of Soledar,” said Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin.
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“Urban fighting has created a city centre cauldron.” He stressed that only private mercenaries, not the Russian military, were “storming” the town. But Eastern Group spokesman Serhiy Cherevaty denied it. “Russians say [the town] is under their control, it is not true.”
The Kremlin would benefit militarily and commercially from capturing Soledar’s salt mines.
After four days of advances, the UK Ministry of Defence said Russian troops and Wagner fighters likely controlled most of the area.
British volunteers Andrew Bagshaw, 48, and Christopher Perry, 28, disappeared in Ukraine on Friday while heading to Soledar.
They assisted with civilian evacuation and humanitarian aid in war-torn Donetsk. Volodymyr Zelensky thanked his “free world” allies in a video message at the 80th Golden Globes. Sean Penn presented the Ukrainian President.
“The war in Ukraine is not over yet, but the tide is turning, and it is already clear who will win,” he told the crowd. “There are still battles and tears ahead, but now I can tell you who was the best last year—you in the free world, who united around support of free Ukrainian people.”Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatiana Moskalkova confirmed an exchange of 40 prisoners of war with Ukraine today.
