War map | The city of Soledar becomes crucial for Russia for its strategic value

Russian forces have not captured all of solder despite various false Russian claims that the city has fallen and that Bajmut is at risk of an imminent siege, says the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

The think tank claims that Russian forces are facing “concerted Ukrainian resistance” around Bakhmut. However, the reality of block-by-block control of the terrain in Soledar is obscured by the dynamic nature of urban combat, and Russian forces have had great difficulty making significant tactical advances in the Soledar area for months.

The Institute has only observed visual confirmation of forces from the Grupo Wagner in the center of Soledar from January 10. The strategic importance of the city is disputed, but its capture would be very significant, since it would allow the Russian forces to approach the city of Bakhmut.

Russia could use access to the city-like deep Soledar salt mine tunnel network to penetrate Ukrainian-controlled territory.

The scale of the mines is enormous, with 200 km of tunnels up to 300 meters deep and vast underground halls or chambers, some large enough to host football matches and symphony concerts.

The British Ministry of Defense He stated that he believed Soledar was about to fall into Russian hands, but added that it was “unlikely” that the Kremlin would immediately seize Bakhmut due to Ukraine’s “stable lines of defense”.

The ISW adds that control of Soledar will not necessarily allow Russian forces to exercise control over critical Ukrainian land lines of communication to Bakhmut.

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