Russian forces claim victory in Ukrainian salt mining town

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Russia on Friday claimed that its forces have captured Soledar, an eastern Ukrainian salt mining town that has seen fierce fighting in recent months. The city is located in the highly contested Donetsk region, one of four provinces Moscow tried to annex in September. Ukrainian authorities deny Russia’s claim and say they will continue fighting to control the city.

Why is Soledar important? Kremlin officials say that controlling the city would allow Russian forces to cut Ukrainian supply lines in nearby Bakhmut and encircle their forces. The Institute for the Study of War, a think tank located in Washington, D.C., says the capture of Soledar would not be as significant as Russia claims and that the long battle could exhaust their forces.

Dig deeper: Read Evgeny Kosykh’s report in WORLD Magazine about the paramilitary group fighting Russia’s war.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.