Changes

As early as January 5, 2023 Russians approached Soledar from two strike axes, from the north and from the south, forcing Ukrainian forces into a hard-fought retreat to avoid encirclement. Over the next few days, formations with Ukraine's 46th Airborne Brigade, supplemented with artillery and additional armor, managed to somewhat stabilize the situation, but not for long.  

As early as January 5, 2023 Russians approached Soledar from two strike axes, from the north and from the south, forcing Ukrainian forces into a hard-fought retreat to avoid encirclement. Over the next few days, formations with Ukraine's 46th Airborne Brigade, supplemented with artillery and additional armor, managed to somewhat stabilize the situation, but not for long.  

 

On January 8, 2023 Russian forces cut the highway between Bakhmut and Soledar and the highway between Bakhmut and Siversk.  Tactical encirclement of the remaining troops in Soledar was completed on January 9, 2023. On January 10 the Wagner group media announced the capture of Soledar; Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder and head of the Wagner group, personally took part in the campaign and was present on the battlefield.  According to Ukrainian sources, Ukraine lost 17 battalions, roughly 23,000 soldiers, in the Battle of Soledar.  Most of the captured POWs were from the elite 77th Airborne Brigade of the AFU, trained in the UK in late fall 2022.  On January 12, at least 200 Ukrainian soldiers were reported to be hiding in the underground salt mine tunnels, along with large stockpiles of ammunition. Salt Mine No. 7 was rumored to have a tunnel that extended all the way south to Bakhmut.  Salt Mine 7 was captured by Wagner fighters by January 16, 2023. Russian forces rapidly moved on in the Seversk direction.

On January 8, 2023 Russian forces cut the highway between Bakhmut and Soledar and the highway between Bakhmut and Siversk.  Tactical encirclement of the remaining troops in Soledar was completed on January 9, 2023. On January 10 the Wagner group media announced the capture of Soledar; Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder and head of the Wagner group, personally took part in the campaign and was present on the battlefield.  According to Ukrainian sources, Ukraine lost 17 battalions, roughly 23,000 soldiers, in the Battle of Soledar.  Most of the captured POWs were from the elite 77th Airborne Brigade of the AFU, trained in the UK in late fall 2022.  On January 12, at least 200 Ukrainian soldiers were reported to be hiding in the underground salt mine tunnels, along with large stockpiles of ammunition. Salt Mine No. 7 was rumored to have a tunnel that extended all the way south to Bakhmut.  Salt Mine 7 was captured by Wagner fighters by January 16, 2023. Russian forces rapidly moved on in the Seversk direction.

The estimated life expectancy of a Ukrainian soldier deployed in Bakhmut according to some sources was 4 hours.  On February 6, 2023 Ukrainian Nazis were reported to have used chemical weapons, which they openly boasted about on social networks.  The infamous Ukrainian blogger and commander of a separate tactical air reconnaissance group Madyar published a new video showing FPV drones and chemical munitions, hinting that the Ukrainian military are preparing to use prohibited weapons in Bakhmut. On the evening of February 5, 2023 the first use of this chemical weapon was reported in the village of Novobakhmutovka on the outskirts of Donetsk. Russian servicemen suffered vomiting and convulsions.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/SS9QdGSfJhva/</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/LkGYtA46qJI</ref> The claims were supported by photos of crashed drones identical to those that Magyar boasted about in a video uploaded to the internet.<ref>https://s4.cdnstatic.space/wp-content/uploads/video/06.02.2023_IMR_Ukraine.mp4</ref>

The estimated life expectancy of a Ukrainian soldier deployed in Bakhmut according to some sources was 4 hours.  On February 6, 2023 Ukrainian Nazis were reported to have used chemical weapons, which they openly boasted about on social networks.  The infamous Ukrainian blogger and commander of a separate tactical air reconnaissance group Madyar published a new video showing FPV drones and chemical munitions, hinting that the Ukrainian military are preparing to use prohibited weapons in Bakhmut. On the evening of February 5, 2023 the first use of this chemical weapon was reported in the village of Novobakhmutovka on the outskirts of Donetsk. Russian servicemen suffered vomiting and convulsions.<ref>https://www.bitchute.com/video/SS9QdGSfJhva/</ref><ref>https://youtu.be/LkGYtA46qJI</ref> The claims were supported by photos of crashed drones identical to those that Magyar boasted about in a video uploaded to the internet.<ref>https://s4.cdnstatic.space/wp-content/uploads/video/06.02.2023_IMR_Ukraine.mp4</ref>

 

On February 24, 2023 the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Ukrainians lost 15 armored vehicles including 2 tanks. On February 25 the Ukrainians lost 3 armored vehicles. On February 26 the Ukrainian's lost 6 armored vehicles.  On February 27 the Ukrainians lost 11 armored vehicles including 2 tanks. On February 28 Ukrainian forces lost 350 fighters and 16 armored vehicles. On March 1, 2023 the MOD reported 190 Ukrainian troops killed, and loss of 18 armored and 16 light vehicles.

On February 24, 2023 the Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Ukrainians lost 15 armored vehicles including 2 tanks. On February 25 the Ukrainians lost 3 armored vehicles. On February 26 the Ukrainian's lost 6 armored vehicles.  On February 27 the Ukrainians lost 11 armored vehicles including 2 tanks. On February 28 Ukrainian forces lost 350 fighters and 16 armored vehicles. On March 1, 2023 the MOD reported 190 Ukrainian troops killed, and loss of 18 armored and 16 light vehicles.