NATO sends reconnaissance planes to Romania, which borders Ukraine

Russia declares control of Solidar.. and Kiev denies and confirms the continuation of the battles

Ukrainian tanks move towards the front line with Russian forces in the Donetsk region.

Father

Yesterday, Russia announced the completion of the seizure of the city of Solidar in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, while Kyiv denied Moscow's control of the town, stressing the continuation of violent battles.

In Brussels, NATO said it had transferred a number of reconnaissance planes stationed in Germany to Romania, where they will be closer to Russia's war against Ukraine.

In detail, the Russian Ministry of Defense said that its forces took control of the town of Solidar, known for the extraction of salt, in eastern Ukraine, in what it described as the first major gains achieved on the battlefield after military setbacks for half a year.

The ministry reported that its forces had taken control of the town, which had long been the scene of fierce fighting and shelling.

She added that this would allow her forces now to cut off the supply routes of the Ukrainian forces in the city of Artyomivsk (Bakhmut), located in the southwest of it, and then besiege the remaining Ukrainian forces in Artyomivsk.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said the capture of Solidar was completed on the evening of January 12, adding that the development was "important for the continuation of offensive operations in the Donetsk region."

The ministry added that during the past three days alone, the losses of the Ukrainian forces in the Solidar area exceeded 700 people and 300 weapons, adding that the Russian Air Force destroyed three warplanes and a helicopter during the seizure of Solidar.

The head of the Russian private military company, Wagner, said on Wednesday that his fighters had managed to fully control the town of Solidar, which was denied by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who said the fighting was continuing.

Ukraine said on Friday its forces were still holding out in Solidar after a "frantic" night of fighting, in what has become one of the bloodiest battlefields of the entire war.

And Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Gana Malyar confirmed that Ukraine is currently responding to a "very intense" Russian attack in Solidar, despite a "hot night" in this small town.

"The night was hot in Solidar and hostilities continue," Maliar said on "Telegram".

She added, "The Russian army has pushed almost all of its main forces towards the Donetsk region and is continuing a very intensive attack," considering it a "difficult stage of the war."

A spokesman for the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine denied that Russia controls the town of Solidar, stressing the continuation of fierce battles.

"Fierce battles continue in Solidar," Sergey Cherevaty said, adding that "the Ukrainian armed forces are controlling the situation in difficult circumstances."

In Washington, US officials said that a Russian victory at Solidar, or even at Bakhmut, would not mean much for the general course of the war.

"Even if Bakhmut and Solidar fall into the hands of the Russians, it will not have a strategic impact on the war itself," John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, told reporters at the White House.

It certainly will not stop or slow down the progress of the Ukrainians.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said Russia's capture of Solidar "was not an operationally significant development and is unlikely to herald an imminent Russian encirclement of Bakhmut."

On the other hand, NATO is transferring a number of reconnaissance aircraft stationed in Germany to Romania, as it will be closer to Russia's war against Ukraine.

Yesterday, NATO said, in a statement, that the early warning and control system aircraft are scheduled to arrive in Bucharest next Tuesday “to support the alliance’s enhanced presence in the region and monitor Russian military activities.”

The early warning and control system planes, which are usually based near the western German city of Aachen, will be stationed at the Romanian Air Force base in Otopeni near Bucharest, about 200 km from Romania's eastern border with Ukraine.

"While Russia's illegal war in Ukraine continues to threaten peace and security in Europe, there must be no doubt about (NATO's) determination to protect and defend every inch of Allied territory," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said.

For its part, Finland has expressed a cautious desire to supply Ukraine with Leopard 2 tanks, while European governments are considering providing Ukraine with combat tanks.

STT news agency quoted Finnish President Sauli Niinisto as saying that if a joint European aid program is formed in this regard, a contribution from Finland will be needed as well.

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