The British defence ministry says Russian forces are likely to control the eastern Ukrainian town of Soledar, in the Donetsk region.
A daily update by the ministry on Tuesday said capturing Soledar is “likely an effort to envelop Bakhmut”, the highly contested city 10 kilometres away.
Bakhmut has been referred to as “a meat grinder” due to the sheer large number of troops from both sides who have been killed as the battle for the city continues. Reads the update:
In the last four days, Russian and Wagner forces have made tactical advances into the small Donbas town of Soledar and are likely in control of most of the settlement.
Soledar is 10km north of Bakhmut, the capture of which likely continues to be Russia’s main immediate operational objective.
Russia’s Soledar axis is highly likely an effort to envelop Bakhmut from the north, and to disrupt Ukrainian lines of communication.
Part of the fighting has focused on entrances to the 200km-long disused salt mine tunnels which run underneath the district.
Both sides are likely concerned that they could be used for infiltration behind their lines.
Despite the increased pressure on Bakhmut, Russia is unlikely to envelop the town imminently because Ukrainian forces maintain stable defensive lines in depth and control over supply routes.
Seizing Bakhmut would allow Moscow’s troops to advance to two more prominent cities, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, reported Al Jazeera.
In his late-night address on Monday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Soledar and its environs have been completely destroyed. He said:
Everything is completely destroyed, there is almost no life left.
The whole land near Soledar is covered with the corpses of the occupiers and scars from the strikes.
This is what madness looks like.