MOSCOW, January 13. /TASS/. Russian troops completed the liberation of Soledar from the Ukrainian military on the evening of January 12 during the special military operation in Ukraine, Defense Ministry Spokesman Lieutenant-General Igor Konashenkov reported on Friday.
"On the evening of January 12, the liberation of the town of Soledar, which is vital for the continuation of successful offensive operations in the Donetsk area, was completed," the general said.
Full control of Soledar makes it possible to cut off the supply routes of Ukrainian troops in Artyomovsk located southwest and subsequently block the city and entrap the Ukrainian military there, the general explained.
The seizure of Soledar by Russian troops was facilitated by continuous air, missile and artillery strikes on Ukrainian army positions, Konashenkov reported.
"Soledar was seized thanks to continuous strikes delivered on the enemy by assault and army aviation aircraft, missile troops and artillery of the Russian group of troops (forces). They continuously delivered concentrated strikes on the Ukrainian army positions in the town, denying the enemy the redeployment of reserves, ammunition supplies and its attempts to retreat to other defensive lines," the spokesman said.
Russian forces destroyed over 700 Ukrainian troops and more than 300 weapon systems in the past three days of battles in Soledar, Konashenkov said.
"In the past three days alone, over 700 Ukrainian troops and more than 300 weapon systems were destroyed in the area of the town of Soledar," the spokesman said.
Russian paratroopers wiped out Ukrainian army positions in the liberation of Soledar after gaining commanding heights and blocking the town from the north and the south, Konashenkov reported.
"In the course of operations for the liberation of Soledar, the Airborne Force units conducted a stealth maneuver from another direction and successfully attacked Ukrainian army positions from the march, having gained commanding heights, and blocked the town from the northern and southern sides," the spokesman said.
Russian fighter jets destroyed three Ukrainian warplanes and a helicopter in the liberation of Soledar, Konashenkov reported.
"In their operations for the liberation of the town, fighter aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces destroyed three planes and a helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force that provided air support for Ukrainian troops," the spokesman said.
Russian air defense systems shot down nine rockets of US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems, Olkha and Uragan rocket launchers fired by the Ukrainian military against the strongholds taken by Russian troops in the Soledar area, the general specified.
Russian electronic warfare (EW) forces and capabilities knocked out the enemy’s command and control in the liberation of Soledar and thwarted a Ukrainian drone attack, Konashenkov reported.
"The electronic warfare forces and capabilities of the Russian group of troops amassed in that area disabled the enemy’s command and control and thwarted an attack by Ukrainian UAVs," the spokesman said.
The measures implemented by Russian combat teams provided for the successful offensive of assault units in the liberation of Soledar, the general said.