U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Wednesday that U.S. officials do not have confirmation that the town of Soledar, a few kilometers from Bakhmut, is completely under control of Russian forces.
Austin explained, in response to reporters’ questions, that there is «dynamic fighting in the area», as it is being a «very fluid environment» with «really violent fighting», so «at this time, you can’t corroborate (…) the reports».
Likewise, the Secretary of Defense has assured that his Department is «focused on doing everything possible to help ensure that the Ukrainians have the capabilities they need to succeed in efforts to defend their sovereign territory».
«You’ve heard us say over and over again that we’re going to support Ukraine for as long as it takes, and from everything I can see from our allies and partners, they feel the same way,» he assured.
The Wagner mercenary group had confirmed Tuesday that the Ukrainian town of Soledar had been taken after several days of intense battles, after the leader of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, Denis Pushilin, reported it.
However, on Wednesday the Ukrainian Army denied that Soledar was completely under Russian control, rejecting the Russian authorities’ statements.
Ukrainian forces released a series of photographs showing the mines in question without any presence of Russian servicemen, contrary to what the Russian Army had announced.
Ukrainian authorities had already warned on Monday that the Russian Army had launched a new offensive against Soledar after the latest unsuccessful attempts to take control of the locality.
The efforts of the Russian Armed Forces had been focused in recent days on unsuccessfully gaining control of the town of Bajmut and its surroundings, where not only Soledar is located, but also Bajmutske, a small locality that Moscow claimed on Monday to have conquered.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
