U.S. Belies Russian Control Of Soledar, Bakhmut

The US intelligence claims that fierce battles are raging near the Donetsk region’s Soledar and Bakhmut and Russians do not have full control over any of these settlements, Ukrainska Pravda reported.

Photo Insert: Kirby said fierce battles are raging in this area of the Donbas, especially near Soledar, where control over the territory remains disputed, according to US intelligence.

US National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications in the White House John Kirby issued the statement during a telephone briefing, an Ukrinform correspondent reported. Kirby said that as of the morning of Jan. 19, the US has not viewed the two cities as captured by Russians unilaterally.

Kirby said fierce battles are raging in this area of the Donbas, especially near Soledar, where control over the territory remains disputed, according to US intelligence.

Kirby noted that Russians had made gradual progress in recent days, but this had cost them dearly. In fact, they are filling up the Ukrainian positions with their own corpses. Such efforts are led mainly by Prigozhin and his Wagner Group, with some support from the Russian military.

He assumed that Prigozhin wants to be considered more relevant and indispensable on the battlefield than Russia’s traditional armed forces.

Thus, tensions are persisting between Russia’s defense ministry and Prigozhin-led Wagner Group. Prigozhin’s declaration of victory has been shattered by documented reports of Russian losses in Soledar.

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