On a road near the city of Solentar, the Ukrainian military sends a spy drone to the area where Russian troops are deployed, which are preparing to repel another attack.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian military acknowledged that its forces had been withdrawn from Solentar, a town in the Donetsk region that has seen the most intense fighting since the Russian invasion began on February 24.

“We lost our positions for 2-3 days, but now we are trying to regain them,” says Igor, a Ukrainian soldier in the area.

The Russian Wagner mercenary group that allegedly led the attack on the Solentar announced their capture on 11 January.

Two days later, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its troops controlled the city, which had a population of about 10,000 before the war.

The capture of Solentar is the first major success of the Russian army in recent months. It was preceded by a series of defeats and setbacks on the eastern and southern fronts.

Ukrainian military spokesman Serhiy Tserevaty told AFP that his troops had retreated after weeks of heavy fighting. “We are building a new line of defense, with fortifications in other places, while continuing to deliver strong blows to the enemy,” he added. According to him, the withdrawal was carefully planned, without “encirclement” or “mass capture” of the Ukrainian military.

A sergeant named Alcor said that “the battle was fierce” and the enemy had a large advantage in numbers. “We fired continuously, but after five minutes a new wave of 20 enemies was coming at us (…) Their number was huge. They use their soldiers as cannon fodder… Our people said: “Get up, don’t retreat.”

While some Ukrainian soldiers are convinced that the lost territories can be returned, others are not sure.

“Solentar fell,” admitted Vladimir Leonov, deputy commander of the 144th rifle battalion, stationed ten kilometers away. According to him, 27 servicemen signed a letter refusing to return to combat positions.

On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law toughening penalties for disobedience or desertion, providing for 10 and 12 years in prison, respectively.

For some, however, prison may be preferable to death in a foxhole. At least “some people think so,” Leonov admits.

Source: RES-IPE