<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b02d077e-ac7d-4ec0-83be-2899b1729708}{254}" paraid="1303267878" >Following a months-long bloody battle, Ukrainian forces have pulled back from the eastern salt-mining Soledar town, in what can be seen as a triumph for the Russians after a series of setbacks since the invasion last year.&nbsp;Serhii Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, told the AP news agency that the Ukrainian army has strategically retreated from the town in the Donbas region to “preserve the lives of its personnel”.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{b0f33fb4-b3fb-448c-ab1b-9193813677dd}{226}" paraid="2106570878" >He added that the Ukrainian soldiers have gone back to their previously prepared defence positions, without giving further details.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{cb4c74c6-6127-4e20-9baf-558d2879863a}{63}" paraid="709148838" >Soledar, which had a pre-war population of around 10,000 people, is six miles (about 9 km) northeast of Bakhmut, a city in the eastern part of Ukraine known as Donbas.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{d5a72da8-16fd-42ce-9544-34c64c559d25}{39}" paraid="1271481030" >On January 13, Russia claimed that its forces seized control of Soledar, but Ukraine immediately denied it.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{eb308f92-ea0a-4326-abf1-9ff8954674a7}{94}" paraid="506313758" >Though the importance of the town is debated, Moscow believes that taking control of Soledar is key to seizing Bakhmut and the prized Donbas region.</p>

<h2><strong>War in Ukraine: Russia launches fresh attack on Ukrainian cities, claims victory in Soledar</strong></h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/war-in-ukraine-russia-launches-fresh-attack-on-ukrainian-cities-claims-victory-in-soledar-552714/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{4e0a113d-b383-49a2-8b63-ff01cadb1ae2}{40}" paraid="1542870687" >Since the invasion, Russia has been eyeing control of the Donbas region, where the separatists backed by Moscow have been fighting the Ukranian government since 2014.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{d85e6732-0344-44ca-8415-6d2f17a83257}{124}" paraid="611777279" >Russia has already taken control of most of Luhansk, while about half of Donetsk remains under Ukraine’s control.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{4e0a113d-b383-49a2-8b63-ff01cadb1ae2}{5}" paraid="2063841447" >“Russia is not reducing combat activity in Donbas, leaving a scorched desert where the Russian military manages to advance,” Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said on state television.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{f0b4b017-8779-4489-a4a3-87de3d687d73}{49}" paraid="1556888070" >It is believed that Russians will gain an upper hand after taking control of Soledar as it can successfully cut off supply lines of Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut region.&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{989ce95e-e478-4ca3-aa9a-2ebc67e72af5}{152}" paraid="655190194" >The Institute for the Study of War, a&nbsp;US think tank, said it was "not an operationally significant development".&nbsp;</p>

<p lang="EN-US" paraeid="{5d2ac341-7e99-47da-a7cf-74ec24fdae6c}{92}" paraid="1271466710" ><em>(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE: </strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Following a months-long bloody battle, Ukrainian forces have pulled back from the eastern salt-mining Soledar town, in what can be seen as a triumph for the Russians after a series of setbacks since the invasion last year.

Following a months-long bloody battle, Ukrainian forces have pulled back from the eastern salt-mining Soledar town, in what can be seen as a triumph for the Russians after a series of setbacks since the invasion last year. Serhii Cherevatyi, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s forces in the east, told the AP news agency that the Ukrainian army has strategically retreated from the town in the Donbas region to “preserve the lives of its personnel”. He added that the Ukrainian soldiers have gone back to their previously prepared defence positions, without giving further details. Soledar, which had a pre-war population of around 10,000 people, is six miles (about 9 km) northeast of Bakhmut, a city in the eastern part of Ukraine known as Donbas. On January 13, Russia claimed that its forces seized control of Soledar, but Ukraine immediately denied it. Though the importance of the town is debated, Moscow believes that taking control of Soledar is key to seizing Bakhmut and the prized Donbas region. War in Ukraine: Russia launches fresh attack on Ukrainian cities, claims victory in Soledar Since the invasion, Russia has been eyeing control of the Donbas region, where the separatists backed by Moscow have been fighting the Ukranian government since 2014. Russia has already taken control of most of Luhansk, while about half of Donetsk remains under Ukraine’s control. “Russia is not reducing combat activity in Donbas, leaving a scorched desert where the Russian military manages to advance,” Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said on state television. It is believed that Russians will gain an upper hand after taking control of Soledar as it can successfully cut off supply lines of Ukrainian forces in Bakhmut region. The Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, said it was "not an operationally significant development". (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ukraine pulls back from eastern Soledar town after months-long battle against Russians

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidjMAilnNcRgLn" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>The Russian army on Saturday (January 21) said that its troops launched an offensive in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Earlier in the conflict, Russia had captured the nuclear power plant in the region, where fighting was stalled for weeks, but it reportedly intensified recently.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Russian forces in its daily report said that they led "offensive operations" in the region and claimed to have "taken more advantageous lines and positions".&nbsp;</p>

<p>As reported by British news websites, the United Kingdom defence chiefs have said that Russian and Ukrainian forces are massing in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, concerns were raised over a potential nuclear disaster because shelling and artillery fire took place nearby.&nbsp;</p>

<p>UK's Ministry of Defence in its latest update noted that both sides have massed "significant forces" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It added that the forces have conducted artillery exchanges and skirmishes, but have avoided any large-scale offensive effort.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Overall, the conflict is in a state of deadlock. However, there is a realistic possibility of local Russian advances around Bakhmut," the defence update added.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 21 January 2023<br />
<br />
Find out more about the UK government's response: <a href="https://t.co/4UqLNksneU">https://t.co/4UqLNksneU</a><br />
<br />
🇺🇦 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandWithUkraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandWithUkraine</a> 🇺🇦 <a href="https://t.co/fUXFhi6VBW">pic.twitter.com/fUXFhi6VBW</a></p>
— Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) <a href="https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1616684398342029312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said on Saturday that it held a training exercise on repelling air attacks in the Moscow region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the news agency AFP, the ministry said in a statement, "In the Moscow region, a training session was held with the personnel of the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District on repelling air attacks on important military-industrial and administrative facilities."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Vladimir Putin calls Pakistan 'a key partner' after latter decides to buy oil, gas from Moscow&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/vladimir-putin-calls-pakistan-a-key-partner-after-latter-decides-to-buy-oil-gas-from-moscow-554674/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Russia also said that an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was involved in the training as combat was simulated.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The statement said: "As they marched, soldiers repelled an attack by a mock enemy sabotage group on a military convoy. Under the cover of a smoke screen, the air defence convoy was able to get out of the attack and continue fulfilling its tasks."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The Russian army on Saturday (January 21) said that its troops launched an offensive in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. Earlier in the conflict, Russia had captured the nuclear power plant in the region, where fighting was stalled for weeks, but it reportedly intensified recently. The Russian forces in its daily report said that they led "offensive operations" in the region and claimed to have "taken more advantageous lines and positions". As reported by British news websites, the United Kingdom defence chiefs have said that Russian and Ukrainian forces are massing in the Zaporizhzhia Oblast. When Russia captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, concerns were raised over a potential nuclear disaster because shelling and artillery fire took place nearby. UK's Ministry of Defence in its latest update noted that both sides have massed "significant forces" in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. It added that the forces have conducted artillery exchanges and skirmishes, but have avoided any large-scale offensive effort. "Overall, the conflict is in a state of deadlock. However, there is a realistic possibility of local Russian advances around Bakhmut," the defence update added. Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 21 January 2023 Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/4UqLNksneU 🇺🇦 #StandWithUkraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/fUXFhi6VBW — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) January 21, 2023 × Meanwhile, the Russian defence ministry said on Saturday that it held a training exercise on repelling air attacks in the Moscow region. As quoted by the news agency AFP, the ministry said in a statement, "In the Moscow region, a training session was held with the personnel of the anti-aircraft missile brigade of the Western Military District on repelling air attacks on important military-industrial and administrative facilities." WATCH | Vladimir Putin calls Pakistan 'a key partner' after latter decides to buy oil, gas from Moscow × Russia also said that an S-300 anti-aircraft missile system was involved in the training as combat was simulated. The statement said: "As they marched, soldiers repelled an attack by a mock enemy sabotage group on a military convoy. Under the cover of a smoke screen, the air defence convoy was able to get out of the attack and continue fulfilling its tasks." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Ukraine war: Russian army launches ‘offensive operations’ in Zaporizhzhia, claims ‘advances’

<p><meta name="uuid" content="uuidz5gEyJCYgdKH" /><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>Russia's defence ministry on Friday claimed that its forces had taken control of Klishchiivka, a settlement south of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region.&nbsp;The news agency Reuters reported that the village of Klishchiivka had a pre-war population of around 400 people. The village was said to have been captured with the help of aerial support.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Russia's claim was on the day when Western allies had gathered in Germany to plan future military assistance to Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for tanks and long-range missiles for its fight against Russia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The claim over Klishchiivka comes a day after the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that his units had claimed more ground near Bakhmut and captured the village of Klishchiivka.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Prigozhin said on Thursday, "We can safely say that the settlement of Klishchiivka, which is one of the important suburbs of Bakhmut, has been completely taken under the control of Wagner PMC units."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US calls for allies to 'dig deeper' on Ukraine as pressure builds for tanks&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-calls-for-allies-to-dig-deeper-on-ukraine-as-pressure-builds-for-tanks-554522/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Meanwhile, a senior Moscow-installed official&nbsp;said on Friday that fighting has "sharply increased" in the southern Ukraine region of Zaporizhzhia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As quoted by the news agency AFP, the official&nbsp;Vladimir Rogov&nbsp;said on the Telegram social media platform: "In the direction of Zaporizhzhia, the intensity of military activity has sharply increased."&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. Russia's defence ministry on Friday claimed that its forces had taken control of Klishchiivka, a settlement south of Bakhmut, which is in eastern Ukraine's Donetsk region. The news agency Reuters reported that the village of Klishchiivka had a pre-war population of around 400 people. The village was said to have been captured with the help of aerial support. Russia's claim was on the day when Western allies had gathered in Germany to plan future military assistance to Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelensky urged for tanks and long-range missiles for its fight against Russia. The claim over Klishchiivka comes a day after the head of Russia's Wagner mercenary force, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said that his units had claimed more ground near Bakhmut and captured the village of Klishchiivka. Prigozhin said on Thursday, "We can safely say that the settlement of Klishchiivka, which is one of the important suburbs of Bakhmut, has been completely taken under the control of Wagner PMC units." WATCH | US calls for allies to 'dig deeper' on Ukraine as pressure builds for tanks × Meanwhile, a senior Moscow-installed official said on Friday that fighting has "sharply increased" in the southern Ukraine region of Zaporizhzhia. As quoted by the news agency AFP, the official Vladimir Rogov said on the Telegram social media platform: "In the direction of Zaporizhzhia, the intensity of military activity has sharply increased." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Russia-Ukraine war: Moscow claims capture of Klishchiivka near Bakhmut

<p>Russia may have taken “full control” of Ukraine’s salt-mining eastern town of Soledar, in the Donbas region, UK’s Ministry of Defence has claimed, adding that the&nbsp;mercenary Wagner Group&nbsp;and Russian troops have made significant advances in the past four days.</p>

<p>Russia, however, is “unlikely to envelop the town imminently because Ukrainian forces maintain stable defensive lines in depth and control over supply routes," it added.</p>

<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was "almost no life" in Soledar, with "no whole walls left", adding that "the whole land near Soledar is covered with the corpses of the occupiers."</p>

<p>Soledar, which reportedly had a population of 10,000, is near Bakhmut,&nbsp;where Ukraine is currently engaged in a bloody battle with Russian forces.</p>

<p>Russia has been intensifying its offensive operations in three key areas in eastern Ukraine,&nbsp;the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said during Tuesday morning brief.</p>

<h2><strong>Russian warship armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles holds drills in Norwegian Sea</strong></h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russian-warship-armed-with-zircon-hypersonic-missiles-holds-drills-in-norwegian-sea-551046/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>He said that Russia is concentrating its efforts on capturing all of Donetsk Oblast by targeting the eastern areas of Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Lyman.</p>

<p>Though the strategic significance of occupying Soledar is currently being assessed, a US official last week said that the founder of the Wagner Group's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was keen on taking control of the large salt and gypsum mines in the area, reports BBC.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-warship-loaded-with-hypersonic-cruise-weapons-conducts-drills-in-norwegian-sea-551024">Russian warship loaded with hypersonic cruise weapons conducts drills in Norwegian Sea</a></p>

<p>A senior military official from the US Department of Defense on Monday gave a similar assessment of Soledar, saying that there was a "good portion" of the town in Russian hands.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deadly-new-years-attack-russia-blames-mobile-phones-for-missile-strike-in-makiivka-that-killed-89-549226">Russia blames mobile phones for missile strike in Makiivka that killed 89</a></p>

<p>The current battle has mostly been centered around Bakhmut, which has been going on for months. The US official described the most recent exchanges as "savage".</p>

<p>Meanwhile, two British nationals&nbsp;have gone missing&nbsp;in the region and were last seen heading to Soledar.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE: </strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Russia may have taken “full control” of Ukraine’s salt-mining eastern town of Soledar, in the Donbas region, UK’s Ministry of Defence has claimed, adding that the mercenary Wagner Group and Russian troops have made significant advances in the past four days.

Russia may have taken “full control” of Ukraine’s salt-mining eastern town of Soledar, in the Donbas region, UK’s Ministry of Defence has claimed, adding that the mercenary Wagner Group and Russian troops have made significant advances in the past four days. Russia, however, is “unlikely to envelop the town imminently because Ukrainian forces maintain stable defensive lines in depth and control over supply routes," it added. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said there was "almost no life" in Soledar, with "no whole walls left", adding that "the whole land near Soledar is covered with the corpses of the occupiers." Soledar, which reportedly had a population of 10,000, is near Bakhmut, where Ukraine is currently engaged in a bloody battle with Russian forces. Russia has been intensifying its offensive operations in three key areas in eastern Ukraine, the general staff of Ukraine’s armed forces said during Tuesday morning brief. Russian warship armed with Zircon hypersonic missiles holds drills in Norwegian Sea He said that Russia is concentrating its efforts on capturing all of Donetsk Oblast by targeting the eastern areas of Bakhmut, Avdiivka and Lyman. Though the strategic significance of occupying Soledar is currently being assessed, a US official last week said that the founder of the Wagner Group's, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was keen on taking control of the large salt and gypsum mines in the area, reports BBC. Also read | Russian warship loaded with hypersonic cruise weapons conducts drills in Norwegian Sea A senior military official from the US Department of Defense on Monday gave a similar assessment of Soledar, saying that there was a "good portion" of the town in Russian hands. Also read | Russia blames mobile phones for missile strike in Makiivka that killed 89 The current battle has mostly been centered around Bakhmut, which has been going on for months. The US official described the most recent exchanges as "savage". Meanwhile, two British nationals have gone missing in the region and were last seen heading to Soledar. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russia likely in ‘control’ of Ukraine’s Soledar town, claims UK

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.&nbsp;</em></strong></p>

<p>The separatist forces, supported by Russia, present in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region on Monday said that a village has been seized by Russian forces near the important city of Bakhmut.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The village of Bakhmutske in "the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic was liberated by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," said a statement released on Telegram by the separatist authorities on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Responding to the report, the mercenary group Wagner, which is associated with Kremlin, issued a statement on social media saying that Bakhmutske was already "liberated" by its forces last month.</p>

<p>Founder of Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin separately clarified on social media that the group's units were “exclusively” storming Soledar.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ|</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ukraine-war-russia-conducts-retaliatory-strike-in-kramatorsk-for-makiivka-attack-550503">Ukraine war: Russia claims it killed over '600 Ukrainian servicemen' in 'retaliatory strike' in Kramatorsk</a></p>

<p>In his evening address delivered on Sunday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the area between Soledar and Bakhmut is "one of the bloodiest places on the front".&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Supply of arms by West will prolong Ukraine's suffering, claims Kremlin&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>On Monday, the Kremlin claimed that the supply of arms and weapons from Western countries, which include light tanks, will only increase the suffering of Ukrainians.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH| Russia-Ukraine War: US warns of acute threats from Russia</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/russia-ukraine-war-us-warns-of-acute-threats-from-russia-529111/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"Fundamentally, these deliveries cannot and will not change anything... (they) can only prolong the suffering of the Ukrainian people," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, while responding to the decision of France to supply armoured vehicles to Ukraine.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Kremlin said that Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin remain in contact. Peskov said the world leaders have been in contact which has been "very useful, despite deep differences."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. The separatist forces, supported by Russia, present in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region on Monday said that a village has been seized by Russian forces near the important city of Bakhmut. The village of Bakhmutske in "the territory of the Donetsk People's Republic was liberated by the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation," said a statement released on Telegram by the separatist authorities on Monday. Responding to the report, the mercenary group Wagner, which is associated with Kremlin, issued a statement on social media saying that Bakhmutske was already "liberated" by its forces last month. Founder of Wagner Yevgeny Prigozhin separately clarified on social media that the group's units were “exclusively” storming Soledar. ALSO READ| Ukraine war: Russia claims it killed over '600 Ukrainian servicemen' in 'retaliatory strike' in Kramatorsk In his evening address delivered on Sunday, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that the area between Soledar and Bakhmut is "one of the bloodiest places on the front". Supply of arms by West will prolong Ukraine's suffering, claims Kremlin On Monday, the Kremlin claimed that the supply of arms and weapons from Western countries, which include light tanks, will only increase the suffering of Ukrainians. WATCH| Russia-Ukraine War: US warns of acute threats from Russia "Fundamentally, these deliveries cannot and will not change anything... (they) can only prolong the suffering of the Ukrainian people," said Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov, while responding to the decision of France to supply armoured vehicles to Ukraine. The Kremlin said that Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin remain in contact. Peskov said the world leaders have been in contact which has been "very useful, despite deep differences." (With inputs from agencies)

Village in east Ukraine near Bakhmut captured by Russia, claim separatists

Russia has ended a self-declared ceasefire that it had announced on account of the Orthodox Christmas and vowed to push on with combat until it emerges victorious over Ukraine. Fresh shelling was reported from Ukrainian town of Bakhmut overnight and both the sides have accused each other of not observing the ceasefire.

War in Ukraine: Russia ends self-declared Christmas ceasefire, fresh shelling in Bakhmut

Russian forces increased mortar and artillery attacks on the city of Kherson more than six weeks after it was retaken by Ukrainian troops, while also exerting pressure along front lines in the east.

Russia intensifies attacks on Kherson in Ukraine's south, Bakhmut in east

It's almost six months since the war in Ukraine began, there is no end to the spiraling tensions. In the latest, Ukraine's military has now claimed that the Russian missiles hit the Bakhmut over the weekend, our next report gets you all the details.

Ukraine: Russian missiles hit Bakhmut

A warehouse in Bakhmut was hit by missile strike after which it caught fire. Russian and Ukrainian troops are fighting on the eastern region of Ukraine.

Russia-Ukraine crisis: Warehouse in Bakhmut hit by missile strike

bakhmut

Bakhmut, News on Bakhmut, stories on Bakhmut, articles on Bakhmut, Bakhmut stories at Wion, Bakhmut news, Bakhmut latest news