Soledar Falls to Wagner Group

Wagner Group mercenaries under Yevgeny Prigozhin captured Soledar, a salt-mining town north of Bakhmut, after weeks of intense urban combat. Soledar was the first significant Russian tactical gain since November 2022. Prigozhin publicly credited Wagner, sidelining Russia's regular military, which caused visible friction with official Moscow channels. The town's capture opened additional approach routes to Bakhmut.