Russia Claims Control of Ukrainian Salt-Mine Town Soledar After Months-Long Battle. Russian troops have taken control of Soledar, an important step in their offensive. Ukrainian officials have denied the claims and accused Russia of “information noise,” while regional governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said that 559 civilians remain in the town. The fight for Soledar has been some of the bloodiest of the war, with Russian mercenary group Wagner leading much of the fighting.
The fight for Soledar has been some of the bloodiest of the war, with Russian mercenary group Wagner leading much of the fighting. Reports describe almost apocalyptic scenes, with the terrain scarred by missile strikes and littered with Russian corpses. President Volodymyr Zelensky has compared the fight for Soledar and Bakhmut to one of the bitterest battles of World War One, at Verdun.