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Ukraine claims 8,000 Russian soldiers were killed. Photo/The Guardian
KIEV – Ministry of Defense Ukraine claimed more than 8,000 troops Russia died just less than two weeks after the new year. This news comes amid reports that the Russians managed to occupy the city of Soledar.
By January 13, 8,170 Russian soldiers had died, bringing the total number of losses during the 11 months of war to 114,930. On Friday alone, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense reported 740 deaths. On average, around 628 Russian troops have been killed per day this month.
The reports of the total number of Russian soldiers killed come as Moscow boasts victory in the battle for Soledar, a Ukrainian salt-mining town of just 10,000 people, in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
“The city of Soledar, which is very important for continuing the successful offensive operation in the direction of Donetsk, has been liberated,” the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement as quoted by Newsweek, Saturday (14/1/2023).
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Russia said that control of the city would allow its troops to block the supply route of Ukrainian troops in southwest Artyomovsk, and credited the continuous barrage launched at the enemy by the Ground Assault and Airborne Forces, Missile and Artillery Troops of Russian Troops Group for victory.
Ukraine’s military quickly rejected the claim and President Volodymyr Zelensky said its troops were “protecting the country”, even though Russia has concentrated its forces in Soledar.
Soledar’s strategic value has been debated by military analysts because of the city’s relatively small size. Washington-based think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said Thursday that Russian information operations had overestimated Soledar’s importance.
In its assessment, ISW said capturing the town would not allow Russian forces to exercise control over the critical Ukrainian land communication (GLOC) line to Bakhmut or better position Russian forces to encircle the city in the short term.
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