The British MoD has also previously claimed that Soledar has largely been taken over by Wagner’s troops. The battle for the city is regionally important, because the city is only ten kilometers north of Bachmoet. That city has been fought over for months and the capture of Bachmut appears to be a major objective for the Russians.
cluttered
Russia correspondent Joost Bosman calls it a confusing situation. “I learn from an expert that Wagner’s troops broke through the defenses of the Ukrainians and, to their surprise, found themselves in the center of this small town of Soledar.”
According to Bosman, Russia’s contradicting “its own” Wagner Group troops could indicate a disagreement between Wagner Group leader Prigozhin and the Russian Defense Ministry. ‘His strength has increased significantly in recent months and he has also been very critical of the Russian military in the past. Then you understand that the Department of Defense has little desire to pin the capture of Soledar on Wagner. In any case, they don’t want Prigozhin to take the credit.”
Bloody fights
Hammelburg expects the battle for the definitive acquisition of Soledar to be very bloody. “It’s a rule in warfare that will lead to hand-to-hand combat if you go into the small streets. You cannot use large weapons, such as a machine gun. Then you need knives or guns, because with them you can shoot at point blank range.’ Hammelburg suspects that this situation is now taking place in the center of Soledar. “And everything around him is now in Wagner’s hands.”
Follow the latest news about the war in Ukraine in our live blog
Kiev had previously denied capture. The city “was, is and will remain” Ukrainian, according to the Ukrainian military. Taking Soledar would be important for Russia as it could encircle Bachmut and hamper Ukrainian supply chains.
Prisoners
The Wagner group is said to have already deployed a huge number of fighters in Ukraine. According to Bosman, the question is how long they can continue. “But make no mistake: about 40,000 prisoners were recruited for Wagner. They have a six month contract. If they survive and return to Russia, they will be freed. This might help.’