Bloodbath in Battles for Soledar
That’s how brutal the tactics of the Wagner soldiers are
The Wagner mercenary group played a crucial role in the capture of the city of Soledar by Russian troops. Wagner boss Prigozhin uses a brutal tactic.
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Wagner boss Prigozhin and Vladimir Putin.
The fighting in eastern Ukraine has reached a new dimension in recent months. The Wagner group of mercenaries played a decisive role in this. She conquered the city of Soledar. By capturing the small town just ten kilometers north of Bakhmut, the remaining Ukrainian soldiers in the devastated town are at risk of being surrounded. Supplying the troops is becoming increasingly difficult.
The Wagner group’s tactics are brutal and effective. For weeks they sent wave after wave of former prisoners to the front, as the “Spiegel” reports. The bloody procedure is always the same: a first unit advances to uncover Ukrainian positions. The ex-prisoners also use Ukrainian uniforms as camouflage.
Zelensky to Soledar: “The front is stable, the fighting continues”(01:21)
Wagner boss points to success
As soon as they discover the enemy soldiers, they are supported from behind by the Russian artillery. Only then do the actual Russian soldiers move up. The ex-prisoners often pay for this procedure with their lives. Their bodies are left lying in the fields.
Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin (61) pointed to his success after taking Soledar and emphasized that only his people are responsible for the victory. The Russian Ministry of Defense disagreed, emphasizing that paratroopers were also deployed.
Alleged victory over Soledar: “In the long term, it is a weakening for Russia”(10:43)
Power struggle behind the scenes
Not only are Prigozhin said to have political ambitions, economic motives are also said to play a role. Apparently he’s aiming for control of the region’s salt and gypsum deposits in order to fill the war chest. A White House spokesman describes Prigozhin’s “obsession” with conquering Bakhmut as economically motivated. In return for operations in war zones, the “Wagner Group” secures raw material deposits worldwide, such as oil in Syria or timber in Central Africa.
When visiting: This video is supposed to show Prigozhin in Soledar’s salt mine(00:27)
The battles for Bachmut are costly. Numerous soldiers fell on both sides. The fight is also tiring for the Ukrainian soldiers. He binds numerous troops in Kiev, including elite units.
It is still unclear what role the Wagner Group will play in the future. One thing is clear: behind the scenes of the Kremlin, a power struggle is raging between President Vladimir Putin (70) and Prigozhin. The winner: completely open. (zis)