Day 324: Ukraine Denies Fall of Soledar
Facts
- On Friday, the spokesperson for Ukraine's eastern military command rejected Russia's claims that it has captured Soledar in Donetsk, insisting the fight for the small mining town in the eastern part of the country was still going on. "Our units are there, the town is not under Russian control," Serhiy Cherevatyi stated.
- Earlier, Russian lawmaker Viktor Vodolatsky said that Soledar is a turning point of the country's military operation, as it facilitates the capture of Artyomovsk and other cities, and allows Russian troops to cut off Ukrainian ammunition supply routes.
- In the three-day fierce fighting to capture Soledar, Russian forces reportedly killed over 700 Ukrainian troops per Russian official media. In addition, they destroyed more than 300 Ukrainian weapon systems, three warplanes, and a helicopter, Russia's defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov reported.
- Meanwhile, Andriy Yermak, chief of staff of Ukraine Pres. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the situation in Bakhmut and Soledar as the battle of Verdun [the longest battle of the first world war] in the 21st century. "The Russians are there, but not in control. It is a difficult situation, but we continue to pursue the same goal in this war, which is to liberate our territories..." he said.
- US national security council spokesman John Kirby stated on Thursday even if both Bakhmut and Soledar fall to the Russian forces, "it's not going to have a strategic impact on the war itself" and "it certainly isn't going to stop the Ukrainians or slow them down..."
- Elsewhere, Ukraine's defense minister Oleksii Reznikov reportedly characterized that Ukraine has become a "de facto" member of NATO, noting "we have weaponry and the understanding of how to use it."
Sources: Guardian, Tass, Rundown Bulletin, Associated Press, and BBC News.
Narratives
- Pro-Russia narrative, as provided by Tass. After taking Soledar, Russia can now use freed-up forces to achieve similar results in Bakhmut, which it can attack from multiple directions. The success in Soledar also opens the door for further Russian advances in the wider Donetsk region.
- Anti-Russia narrative, as provided by Pravda. Russia is spreading false news about the capture of Soledar to give its population positive news from an otherwise disastrous military campaign. Russia is also desperately trying to shore up support ahead of future mobilization drives.