The American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), in its latest report on events on the front, says that Russian troops have not yet fully captured Soledar – despite false claims from some Russian sources, reports BBC.
Highlights of Wednesday, January 11:
The time is 09:55 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appeared in a video message during the Golden Globes telecast to thank his allies in the “free world.” CNN. Details here
The time is 09:20 Citing unnamed U.S. and European officials, Foreign Policy magazine reported that Turkey began sending cluster munitions to Ukraine late last year. According to the publication, earlier, Kiev tried unsuccessfully to receive such goods from the United States, it writes BBC. Details here
The time is 08:44 The President of the Republic of Moldova, Mia Sandu, is the sixth most trusted foreign leader for Ukrainians, with 50.4% trusting the head of state more than last year. At least that’s what a survey by the New Europe Center suggests. Andrzej Duda, Poland’s president in first place, won public opinion in Ukraine for the second year in a row – 87% of citizens trust him, send TV8.md. Details here
The time is 08:09 ISW writes that its experts saw images of PMC Wagner fighter jets in the center of this small town in the Donetsk region. At the same time, the report said it is very difficult to assess who exactly controls certain neighborhoods in Soledar because the situation can change so quickly during street fighting.
ISW notes that “even if the most daring Russian claims are to be believed, the capture of Soledar will not lead to an immediate encirclement of Bahmut.” “Control of the city of Soledar will not allow Russian forces to control the main Ukrainian supply routes to Bahmut.”
What else the ISW acronym says:
- The appointment of General Alexander Labin as head of the Russian Ground Forces Main Staff may be aimed at counterbalancing the growing influence of PMC Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Chechen Republic President Ramzan Kadyrov.
- On January 10, Ukrainian forces continued to advance along the Svadovo-Kremennia line (these cities are located in the Luhansk region and the Ukrainian Armed Forces are on the route to Severodonetsk and Lisitsk).
ISW rates the risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine from Belarus as low but possible. The risk of direct participation of Belarus is underestimated.
Prigozhin announced the capture of Solatar
Earlier, the press service of the founder of the private military group “Wagner” aired a statement on Tuesday evening by Yevgeny Prigozhin, in which he announced the capture of Solatar.
The report itself – very short – contains an internal contradiction: it speaks simultaneously about the control of the city and the battles within it.
BMC Wagner units “held the entire area of Solader under their control. A cauldron was created in the center of the city, in which urban battles take place,” says Prigozhin.
His press service publishes photos of Prigozhin posing with fighters, according to various versions, in one of the salt mines near the city of Solidar or in an underground museum set up in a former mine.
CNN spoke to a member of the 46th Airborne Division defending the city, who described the situation as “critical” and said several people had died.
Well-known Ukrainian journalist Yuri Buduzov said in his Telegram channel that no Ukrainian unit was surrounded, without going into details.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not address the situation in Soledor in an evening video message, but thanked the fighters of the 46th Airborne Brigade “for their courage and determination during the defense of Soledor.”
Soledar is a pre-war town with a population of about ten thousand, located 15 km north of Baghmut. Its loss would make it difficult for Ukrainian troops to defend the much larger Bahmut, which the Russians have been attacking for months (as well as Soledar).
The time is 07:10 German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbach made a surprise visit to the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Tuesday to confirm Berlin’s pledge to send more weapons to the country. A few hours later, Kharkiv was bombed by the Russians, AFP reported, citing News.ro. Details here
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