Russia claims control of Soledar in eastern Ukraine, first major win in months

Russia claimed to have taken “full control” of the town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine on Thursday evening, in Moscow’s first major win on the battlefield in months.

The Russian defense ministry said in a statement Friday that the salt mining town was “of great importance for the continuing successful offensive operations in the Donetsk direction.” 

Soledar lies just outside the city of Bakhmut in the Donetsk region, which has seen some of the heaviest fighting throughout the war.

The ministry added that the establishment of control in Soledar will allow Russian forces to block the supply routes of Ukrainian forces.

A Ukrainian official denied Russia’s claim on the town on Friday, alleging that fighting was still ongoing. However, CNN reported that there appeared to be an organized pullback of Ukrainian troops, even as mortar and rocket fire continued. 

After initially taking aim at Kyiv in the early stages of its invasion, Moscow has largely refocused its efforts on the Donbas in eastern Ukraine as the war has dragged on for more than 10 months.