Two Ukrainian Army Units Defend in Soledar: President Zelensky Expresses Appreciation, Prepares Reinforcements

JAKARTA - Ukrainian troops in the eastern city of Soledar defended their positions and inflicted significant losses on Russian troops, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address on Thursday.

Ukraine says its troops are holding out against pro-Moscow forces in the eastern salt mining town of Soledar, as more than 500 civilians including children are trapped there

President Zelensky thanked two Ukrainian units in Soledar which he said "defend their positions, inflicting significant losses on the enemy", Reuters reported on January 13.

While not providing further details, President Zelensky said he had met with senior Ukrainian commanders on Thursday, analyzing in detail what reinforcements were needed in the battle for Soledar and nearby towns. As well as what steps to take in the coming days.

"We also discussed the situation regarding the supply of weapons and ammunition to troops and relevant cooperation with our partners", he said.

Separately, Donetsk Governor Pavlo Kyrylenko told Ukrainian state TV that 559 civilians were still in Soledar, including 15 children, and could not be evacuated from the community which had a pre-war population of around 10,000 people.

Earlier, the ultra-nationalist mercenary Wagner Group, which is run by allies of President Vladimir Putin outside the main military chain of command, claimed to have captured Soledar after heavy fighting that was said to have left the city littered with dead Ukrainians. But Moscow has delayed formally declaring victory.

"Currently, there are still small pockets of resistance in Soledar", Andrei Bayevsky, a local Russian politician, said in an online broadcast.

Far away in the United States, White House officials are questioning the significance of Russia's victory in Soledar even if it is true.

Located less than 10 km (6 miles) northeast of the city of Bakhmut, where fighting raged for months in one of the bloodiest battles of the war, US officials have questioned Russia's interest in winning the battle of Soledar.

"Even if Bakhmut and Soledar fell into Russian hands, it would not have a strategic impact on the war itself", US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters at the White House.

If the Russians take Soledar, it will likely use the position to intensify its offensive against Bakhmut. Soledar is also home to a large salt mine, which can be a commercially profitable asset.