The Ukrainian military and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy say claims by Russia's Vagner group that Russian forces have taken the eastern town of Soledar are false and fighting continues.
"The terrorist state and its propagandists are trying to pretend that part of our town of Soledar...is some sort of a Russian possession," Zelenskiy said in a video address on January 11.
"But fighting continues. The Donetsk theatre of operations is holding."
In a separate statement, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces also said fighting continues. The statement said in order to bring the entire Donetsk region under its control, the Russian military is attempting both to attack nearby Bakhmut and to disrupt supply routes to Soledar.
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The General Staff said earlier the Russians were suffering heavy losses as they tried to take the salt-mining town.
The head of the mercenary Vagner group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said on January 11 his forces had taken control of the Soledar.
"I want to confirm the complete liberation and cleansing of the territory of Soledar from units of the Ukrainian Army.... Ukrainian units that did not want to surrender were destroyed," he said in a statement.
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