ISW: ‘Russian forces have not captured the entirety of Soledar despite several false Russian claims’

Russian forces have not captured the entirety of Soledar despite several false Russian claims that the city has fallen and that Bakhmut risks imminent encirclement, the Institute for the Study of War said, Report informs.

Several Russian sources claimed that Wagner Group forces advanced into the west of Soledar on January 10. Wagner Group financier Yevgeny Prigozhin refuted these claims, remarking that Wagner Group forces are still fighting against concerted Ukrainian resistance.

ISW has only observed visual confirmation of Wagner Group forces in central Soledar as of January 10.

According to analysts, even taking the most generous Russian claims at face value, the capture of Soledar would not portend an immediate encirclement of Bakhmut.