Ukraine’s military: Soledar in Donetsk Oblast ‘practically destroyed,’ Russia deploys most trained Wagner mercenaries in the area

Serhii Cherevatyi, Ukraine’s Eastern Military Command spokesman, reported that the city of Soledar, Donetsk Oblast, which has long been a target of Russia's Bakhmut offensive, is “practically destroyed.”

According to Cherevatyi, Russian troops had recently attempted to find a weakness in Ukraine’s defenses.

"Now they simply managed to concentrate more of their units there with more systematic pressure on our defense, which requires us to make appropriate decisions,” he said.

In particular, Cherevatyi said Russia had concentrated its most combat-ready units, including the Kremlin-controlled Wagner Group militants, in the area.

After an unsuccessful attempt to capture Soledar, Russian troops changed tactics and commenced another major assault, Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar reported.

The new assault is expected to be powerful as Russian troops have regrouped and transferred additional units to Soledar.

According to Maliar, Russian troops have also recovered losses by deploying a "large number of assault groups formed from Wagner Group's best reserves."

As Battle of Bakhmut nears culmination, Ukraine’s artillery gasps for more ammo

The Kyiv Independent

Along with the Russian military, the group has taken part in the fierce battle for the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut, around 215 kilometers southeast of Kharkiv.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on Jan. 8 that Bakhmut and Soledar “hold on in spite of everything” and called this area “one of the bloodiest” sites along the front line.