"Dynamic battles continue": The Pentagon did not confirm the seizure of the Soledar of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

According to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, control over the areas of Soledar moves from one to others in fierce fighting. The US Department of Defense cannot confirm that Soledar is under the control of Russian troops. According to Pentagon Lloyd Austin during a press conference in Washington on January 12, Soledar of Donetsk region is under the control of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and dynamic battles continue in the city.

"First, let me start with the issue of Soledar, and whether he got to the Russians. We cannot confirm this information now," Austin said. According to him, very dynamic battles continue in the city, which is why control over the city's areas goes from hand to the hand of the opposing parties. "We are focused on doing our best and make sure that Ukrainians have the opportunities necessary for the successful protection of their sovereign territory," he said.

Pentagon's head added that he is constantly in touch with the Minister of Defense of Ukraine Alexei Reznikov. Austin also recalled the next meeting of the Defense Group of Ukraine in the Ramstein format, which is scheduled for January 20. The key issue of this meeting is to determine the volume of military support of Ukraine to succeed in the future. "We will support Ukraine as long as it is needed, and from everything I see from our allies and partners, they feel the same," Austin emphasized.

We will remind, the patron saint of "Wagner group" Yevgeny Prigogin on January 10 declared the capture of his militants of the settlement Soledar. However, on January 11, a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, Igor Konashenkov, denied this information, saying that Russian troops blocked Soledar on both sides and fought in the city itself.