Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “killing machine” Wagner’s army unit says it has taken over the city’s current combat center in Ukraine. This is the Soledar mining region in eastern Ukraine.
“Wagner’s unit controls the entire Soledar area,” he wrote The independent citing Russian agencies that launched Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, on Wednesday (11/1/2023).
“A ‘crater’ was formed in the center of the city where the urban fighting took place,” he added.
The group also admitted to capturing a number of detainees. Announcement will be released soon.
Wagner itself is a private military company headed by Prigozhin. The group has been linked to a number of atrocities in wars not only in Ukraine but also in Syria.
In recent months, Wagner has reportedly recruited thousands of Russian inmates from prison to join the fight in Ukraine. This made them notoriously ruthless.
“The Wagner group has gone from a minor part of the Russian war to a major component of the conflict,” a Western official said.
“There is a realistic possibility that Wagner personnel now make up a quarter or more of the Russian force,” he added.
Meanwhile in reports CNN International, a Ukrainian soldier fighting in Soledar said the situation was “critical”. The death toll is now so high that “nobody counts the dead”.
The soldier is from the 46th Airborne Brigade. The unit leads Ukraine’s fight to defend Soledar in the face of a massive attack by Russian and Wagner forces.
“The situation is critical. It’s difficult. We resisted to the last,” said the soldier, “no one will tell you how many were killed and wounded. Because no one knows for sure. Not a single person,” he added. .
“Not at headquarters. Not anywhere. Positions are taken and repeated again and again. Our home today, Wagner’s tomorrow,” he stressed. “In Soledar, the dead cannot be counted.”
The soldier said he believed Ukrainian military leaders would eventually surrender to Soledar. He said pessimistically that the generals would ask the troops to leave the battle.
“Everyone understands that this city will be abandoned. Everyone understands that,” he said.
“I just want to understand what’s the point (of fighting)…Why die, if we’re going to leave him again today or tomorrow?” he added.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky himself said the situation in Soledar was “very difficult, but manageable”. On Monday he thanked the four soldiers for their courage and fortitude in defending the city.
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