Ukraine's defence forces managed to thwart Russia's plan to capture Soledar and surround Bakhmut by 26 December, said Hero of Ukraine Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyy, Commander of the Land Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
"We managed to disrupt the enemy's plans. Even with the enemy's superiority in forces and means, they failed to fulfil the task set by their command - to capture Soledar and surround Bakhmut by 26 December. At the same time, the enemy did not abandon its plans to reach the borders of Donetsk Region. The offensive group of enemy troops continues its creeping offensive in Donetsk Region. Numerous assaults on our positions continued even on New Year's Eve, and over the first three days of the new year the intensity of hostilities gradually increased," he explained.
Syrskyy added that although the enemy in the hottest areas of the front has an advantage in weapons and military, the level of Russian irreversible losses is much higher than that of the defenсe forces.