A Look at How Everyday Life is Changing in Soledar Under Russian Occupation
The dispute over the territory of Donbas located in Eastern Ukraine appears to have turned a new direction this week. The Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zeleskiy claimed that Soledar was captured by Ukrainian forces. But, there has not been an official confirmation. CNN’s reporters witnessed Ukrainian soldiers leaving the area in an organised retreat. Mr Zelensky claimed that senior Ukrainian commanders had analysed this situation and determined that there was a need to reinforce Soledar in addition to the villages nearby. Since 2014 the uneasy Donbas area has been the center of tensions between Ukrainian forcesand Moscow-backed separatists and Russian-backed separatists. Mr Zelensky says this victory could be Moscow’s first victory in the space of six years.
1. What can Ukrainian military officials have to say regarding the takeover of Soledar?
Recent announcements from Ukrainian military officials, confirming that Russia took over Soledar which is located within the Ukrainian Donetsk Region have been announced. This is a significant development of the ongoing conflict that is raging between Ukraine and Russia because Soledar was a key stronghold of Ukrainian forces. It is the town that Soledar is located near the front line of conflict, and serves as a major supply route to both Ukrainian as well as Russian forces. Russian troops have taken the control of Soledar, increasing their position in the region. Ukrainian soldiers had occupied the town for weeks prior to its arrest, but did not manage to stop the onslaught of the Russian army.
2. How did the CNN team from the region be able to witness Ukrainian forces withdrawing?
The political situation in Ukraine is extremely tense following the annexation of Crimea in 2014, when Russian forces repeatedly threatening remove more territory away from Ukraine. In the most recent instance reports that Ukrainian forces were defending against Russian forces , who were setting their eyes on the town of Soledar. According to the reports the CNN crew was within the area, and was able to witness the Ukrainian troops dispersing. The news led to speculation about the reason. An investigation later revealed that Ukrainian troops had pulled out due to a shortage of fuel and supplies. The analysis also revealed that the withdrawal was not a cause of defeat in the military. It was a strategic decision made by the Ukrainian government to stop further deaths and to ensure their troops are ready to fight in the future.
3. What did Mr Zelenskiy analyze in regards to the Donbas region?
The President who was elected to the presidency of Ukraine, Mr. Zelenskiy has spent some moment looking into the state of affairs within Ukraine’s Donbas region. He has specifically assessed the current resistance to Russian forces in the city of Soledar. In particular, Mr. Zelenskiy pointed out that Ukrainian troops in the area have proven resilient and have managed to hold their own against the advances of Russian troops. To understand the complexities of the crisis in the region, Mr. Zelenskiy has researched the history of the region and its political, economic and military implications. He also carefully considered the various efforts made by each side to settle the dispute, and the role played by international bodies in the zone. Ultimately, Mr.
A Short Summary
The situation in east Ukraine is still highly unstable and highly contentious. Even though Moscow asserts it has taken Soledar but the fighting is still intense and Ukrainian troops are still in the area. It is believed that the capture of the town could be a major victory for Russian forces, however there is no certainty as to whether they’ll be able to remain in control of Soledar even with the ongoing combat by Kyiv and Kyiv’s allies. The world is watching closely to see how this develops as the region has seen a lot of violence and conflict in recent years.