Battle for Soledar and Bakhmut: biggest Russian losses in war - military expert Serhiy Zgurets

The fog of war still covers the situation around Soledar

Two days ago, Russian occupation troops reported the capture of Soledar, but today, it seems, Russia has entered an information stupor. Instead of the usual reports about the total victory, there were statements that they were a bit hasty with the capture of Soledar. In turn, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, both before and now, deny Russia’s reports about the alleged occupation of this town both in words and deeds.

Russia suffers losses but constantly rotates assault groups

Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense emphasizes that heavy fighting continues in Soledar. After suffering significant losses, Russia once again replaced its units and sent more Wagner troops to Soledar. Russian forces are trying to break through the defense of Ukrainian troops and completely capture the city, but are unsuccessful.

As for Russia’s advance, due to the concentration of a large number of assault groups and disregard for human losses, Russian troops entered the center of Soledar basically walking over corpses of their own.

The defense of Soledar 

Mass attacks on Soledar started around December 27. Soledar is located to the north of Bakhmut and the attack on Soledar is part of Russia’s offensive on Bakhmut, the city that Russia has been unable to capture for the last 6 months, trying to break through the AFU defense with frontal attacks.

It is important that in these frontline areas - both near Soledar and Bakhmut - Russian forces are estimated to have lost more manpower than during the storming of Sievierodonetsk and Lysychansk. This means that the Ukrainian army is conducting an effective defense aimed at inflicting maximum losses on the enemy near Bakhmut and Soledar. This sector of the front line remains extremely hot, so we are waiting for further information from the official spokespersons to draw reasonable conclusions.

Bakhmut is of tactical and propaganda importance for Russia

Military analyst and serviceman of the AFU Special Operations Forces Viacheslav Tseluiko notes that Soledar is the left flank of the Bakhmut defense. Its importance for Russia is both of tactical and propaganda nature. Russian troops were going to capture Bakhmut by January 1, because they needed at least some military gains. And they have chosen a less significant target, which they are trying to capture despite losses, to present as a success.

Russia is now applying the experience of the Kaiser's army in 1918. During the First World War, the German army began to use assault groups. Small but well equipped. Russia attacks with small units at different times, that is, there is no system on a wide section of the front line. In 9 out of 10 cases these attacks are unsuccessful. Russian forces try to attack not in one place where infantry forces could suffer heavy losses, but on the contrary - to attack in small groups on a wide front, hoping that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will not detect them.