​Moscow has named a new commander for its invasion of Ukraine, and Wagner’s mercenary group announced the capture of the eastern Ukrainian salt-mining town of Soledar, although the Ukrainian military said the battle was far from over. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday appointed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov as the commander-in-chief of the 11-month-long “special military operation” in Ukraine. Moscow has replaced General Serhiy Surovikin, appointed in October to invade and monitor serious attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

The latest on the war in Ukraine, day 323:

07:36​The former commander of US forces in Europe, Reserve General Ben Hodges, believes that Ukraine will liberate Crimea from Russian occupation by the end of August 2023.

01:02 BBC: Battle of Soledar shows split in pro-Russian forces

Analysts have long talked about tensions between the military and Wagner’s private group of mercenaries, led by Yevhen Prigozhin, but what happened in the last 24 hours in Soledar, a Ukrainian town that the Russian oligarch has been quick to claim, while officials in Moscow have been more reserved in his statements, this indicates a split that has arisen among the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, the BBC correspondent in Moscow shows, referring to News.ro.

00:44CNN analysis: what is behind the reshuffle of the Russian military leadership in Ukraine

Some analysts believe the move could be an attempt by the ministry to tighten control over the campaign ahead of a critical few months when the rest of the reserve force, mobilized in the fall of 2022, will be deployed after training.

A Russian military analyst who blogs under the pseudonym Rybar and has more than a million followers on Telegram does not expect the reshuffle to be successful, suggesting he is hoping for a “miracle in the 11th month of the special operation.”

00:07Russia has sent another military convoy to Belarus with a total of 40 wagons with servicemen and equipment, the Belarusian monitoring group Hajun reported on January 11, Kyiv Independent reports.

According to the group, 750 Russian soldiers would arrive in Belarus with this convoy.

A brief summary of recent events:

• In Soledar in the east of Ukraine, fierce fighting continues, where Russia is trying to turn the tide of the war at any cost. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation said that “paratroopers are fighting in the city” and “paratroopers have blocked the northern and southern parts” of the city of Soledar, reports AFP.
• Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday appointed General Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, as commander-in-chief of the Russian armed forces stationed in Ukraine, in the latest change in Moscow’s military leadership, Reuters reports.
• The commander of the “Wagner” PMK Yevgeny Prigozhin claims that he “completely” captured the city of Soledar and destroyed about 500 Ukrainian soldiers. “I want to confirm the complete liberation and cleansing of the territory of Soledar from units of the Ukrainian army… Ukrainian units that did not want to surrender were destroyed,” the message says.
• Ukraine’s armed forces denied on Wednesday that Russian forces had taken control of the eastern town of Soledar, and said the intensity of fighting in the area was comparable to that of World War II, with the Russians mostly using Soviet-era weapons, Reuters reported. .
• On Wednesday, the Kremlin called for “no rush” to declare victory in Soledar, while the Wagner mercenary group said it had taken control of the eastern Ukrainian town after months of intense fighting.
• Why is Russia so eager to capture the city of Soledar? The importance of the city of Soledar from a military point of view is minimal. However, its capture would allow Russian forces, particularly Wagner’s mercenary group, to focus on the nearby town of Bakhmut, which has been a target since the summer.
• The Battle of Soledar shows a split in the pro-Russian forces. Analysts have long spoken of tensions between the army and Wagner’s private mercenary group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, but what has happened in the past 24 hours in Soledar, a Ukrainian town that the Russian oligarch has been quick to claim, while officials in Moscow have been more reserved in his statements, demonstrates an increasingly clear split among the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine, says the BBC correspondent in Moscow
• What’s behind the reshuffle of Russia’s military leadership in Ukraine Some analysts believe the move could be an attempt by the ministry to tighten control over the campaign ahead of a critical few months when the remaining reserve forces, mobilized in the fall of 2022, will be retained after training.
• Great news for Ukraine: Poland will send Leopard main battle tanks. Poland announced on Wednesday that it will send Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of an international coalition, the first Western-made tanks that Kyiv will receive since the start of the Russian invasion, Reuters reported.
• President Andrzej Duda encouraged Ukrainians after announcing that Poland is ready to send Leopard tanks. Polish President Andrzej Duda was greeted with applause by Ukrainians in Lviv, with crowds reaching out to shake the hand of the man who announced on Wednesday that he was ready to send Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.
• Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda announced that he will supply Ukraine with Zenit anti-aircraft systems and the necessary ammunition for them, AFP and Ukrainian Pravda report.
• On January 11, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine reported that in December, Norway sent Ukraine 10 bridges worth more than $3 million. The first trucks with this aid have already arrived, Kyiv Independent reports.

——–

Wednesday’s events surrounding the Russian invasion were broadcast LIVE on HotNews.ro