Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said late Monday that his troops were facing “new and even more brutal attacks” in Soledar, near Bakhmut, a town in eastern Ukraine that Moscow has been trying to capture for months, AFP reported.

Volodymyr ZelenskyiPhoto: ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia

“I thank all our soldiers who are defending Bakhmut (…) and the soldiers of Soledar, who are resisting the new and more brutal attacks of the invaders,” said President Zelensky in his daily address.

Soledar, in Donetsk region, is about 15 kilometers from Bakhmut, a town of about 70,000 before the Russian offensive began last February, which is now the epicenter of the fighting.

“Thanks to the resistance of our military there, in Soledar, we got additional time and (saved) forces for Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said.

“Everything is completely destroyed (…) The entire territory of Soledar is covered with corpses of invaders and has scars from explosions. This is what madness looks like,” the Ukrainian president added.

Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced that they had repelled an attempt to capture the city of Soledar, after which fighting resumed.

“After an unsuccessful attempt by the enemy to capture Soledar (… the Russians) regrouped, restored troops, transferred additional assault units, changed tactics and launched an attack,” Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said in the Telegram messenger.

“Currently, the enemy has deployed a large number of amphibious assault units, which consist of the best reserves of the “Wagner” PMK. They literally walk over the corpses of their own soldiers,” she added.

In his statement, the leader of Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin said that the attack on Soledar was carried out “exclusively” by members of his organization.

Earlier, pro-Russian separatists in the Donetsk region announced that they had taken control of the village of Bakhmutske, located a few kilometers from Soledar.

In September, Moscow announced the annexation of four eastern Ukrainian territories, including the Donetsk region, after referendums that were not recognized by Kyiv and Western countries.