After protracted fighting in the northeast of Bakhmut, the Russian army managed to take control of the settlement. The control gives an opportunity to launch an attack from this direction towards Bahamut, which is one of the most important cities, considering the current front line.
Information about the occupation by the Russian army of Bakhmutskoye, was expressed by representatives of the headquarters of the territorial defense of the DPR. There is no official confirmation, from the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation until the present moment, however, the battles for the settlement of Bakhmutskoye lasted for a very long time, and the retreat of Ukrainian troops in the direction of Bakhmut was recorded here, and therefore , the data presented may correspond to reality.
The situation for the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the direction of the cities of Soledar and Bakhmut remains extremely difficult, in particular, about half of the territory of Soledar is already controlled by Russian troops, and Bakhmut is actually in a tight circle, which may shows that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will have to leave one of these cities to maintain control over others.
Retreat of Ukrainian soldiers from Soledar
The official spokesman of the People’s Militia of the LPR, Ivan Filiponenko, announced a mass retreat of the Ukrainian army from Soledar. On the air of the Russia 24 TV channel, Filiponenko clarified that the Armed Forces of Ukraine wanted to keep their exit hidden from other units, including Polish mercenaries.
The spokesman of the NM LPR clarified that the command of the brigade intended to withdraw the army “as discreetly as possible”, but their escape did not go unnoticed by the fighters of the Armed Forces of Ukraine of other units located in the city. Also, units of Polish mercenaries were abandoned in Soledar. The Kiev side, according to Filiponenko, is trying to hide the retreat from the city.
Earlier it was reported that the Russian army captured Soledar from the south. The units of the Russian Armed Forces liberated the settlement of Bakhmutskoye from Ukrainian fighters and foreign mercenaries. Capturing this southern suburb of Soledar opens a direct route to the city.
Invasion of Soledar city headquarters by “Wagner” fighters
The head of the Wagner PMC, Prigozhin, said that his fighters stormed the Soledar city administration building. At the same time, the press service reported that there are no other units of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in this direction.
“In the media various false information is circulating about the participation of various military formations in the occupation of Soledar. I want to emphasize that Soledar was occupied exclusively by units of PMC “Wagner”, Prigozhin said in a statement.
this may indicate that the line of defense of the armed forces of Ukraine has been broken, and given the reports of covering Soledar from the south, it can be assumed that the guard forces of the Ukrainian troops are in a difficult position.
At the same time, the official representative of the People’s Militia of the LPR, Filiponenko, announced a mass exodus of Ukrainian soldiers from Soledar. According to him, we are talking about the 61st mechanized brigade, the withdrawal of which from the territory of the city they wanted to make, “maximum inconspicuous” for the rest of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. At the same time, the Ukrainian army abandoned the Polish mercenaries in Soledar.
Earlier it was reported that Russian army units liberated the settlement of Bakhmutskoye from Ukrainian fighters and foreign mercenaries. Capturing this southern suburb of Soledar opens a direct route to the city.
Meanwhile, members of the Russian National Guard shot dead six Russian soldiers near the village of Chystopillia in Zaporizhzhia Oblast on January 5. According to a Report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, these soldiers were to be handed over in captivity to the Defense Forces of Ukraine.
The General Staff says that, in pursuit of the goal of discrediting the Ukrainian military command, the Russians are spreading disinformation about the Ukrainian defense forces, which are allegedly planning to launch attacks on medical facilities and buildings in the Luhansk region where wounded Russian soldiers are being treated.
