The situation in the East is now difficult, in particular, it is very difficult in Soledar. This was stated by Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar.

“The situation in the East is complicated. In some areas of the Donetsk region, we are gradually moving forward step by step. And on some - the enemy is advancing. Not only the regular army is advancing, but also private. They concentrated considerable efforts there in order to reach the borders of the Donetsk region, or, at least, with the propaganda goal of capturing at least some settlement. Now it is very hard in Soledar,” said Malyar..

According to her, most of the Ukrainian army is mobilized, non-professional military. Malyar stressed that we, as a morally mature society, must understand that since recently, civilians have been undergoing a very difficult both moral and physical test of the military realities of war.

“All people are different, therefore the tests are held in different ways.. But all this is for the sake of our common goal - to preserve the state of Ukraine and defeat.

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Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that the Russian military is still far from the operational environment of Bakhmut, despite success in Soledar. Institute analysts believe that Bakhmut is not in for an inevitable encirclement, contrary to statements by Russian sources. In order to effectively cut Ukrainian landlines in the city, they estimate that the Russians would need to take control of the T0513 Seversk-Bakhmut highway (7km west of the furthest point of the confirmed Russian offensive in the Soledar area) and at least reach the highway.