Russian troops advanced to Soledar, trying to bypass Bakhmut from the north.

Over the past four days, Russian troops and fighters of the “Wagner” PMC tactically advanced to the city of Soledar in Donbas. This is an attempt to bypass Bakhmut from the north and east.

Soledar is located 10 km north of Bakhmut, the capture of which remains Russia’s main immediate operational objective. This was reported by the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain with reference to intelligence data.

“Part of the fighting is focused on the entrances to the 200-kilometer salt mine tunnels that run under the territory of the district. Both sides are probably worried that they can be used to penetrate the rear,” the report said.

But despite increasing pressure on Bakhmut, Russia is unlikely to surround the city in the near future, according to British intelligence. This is explained by the fact that Ukrainian troops maintain stable defensive lines in depth and control supply routes.

War in Ukraine: defense of the Bakhmut fortress

As reported, the Russian occupiers have been trying in vain to capture the city of Bakhmut in Donetsk region for several months. Fierce battles continue there, and the Russians suffer huge losses.

During this time, Bakhmut became a real fortress of Ukrainian soldiers. The officer of the first separate brigade named after Ivan Bohun of the Ground Forces of the Army of Ukraine, Taras Berezovets, believes that the peak of the confrontation for Bakhmut should be in January of this year. However, according to him, the situation in Soledar in Donetsk region is now more acute than in neighboring Bakhmut.

Journalist Yurii Butusov noted that the Ukrainian defenders have been engaged in continuous close-range close-range combat in Soledar for eight days. He added that the Russian occupiers managed to enter the building, but our fighters keep the entire city under fire control.

On the afternoon of January 9, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said that the Russian authorities threw the most professional representatives of the “Wagner” PMC into capturing Soledar. The Russians again suffered heavy losses when they tried to storm the city.

In the evening of January 9, the Deputy Minister of Defense reported that after an unsuccessful attempt to capture the city, the Russians restored reserves, brought in new units and launched a powerful assault on Soledar.