Why Ukraine Needs Tanks, Now
The fall of Soledar and the Salt Mines? Plus: A New Wariness in Sweden
Stories, Sounds, and Facts of War: Every weekday, Ukrainian Freedom News’s Joe Lindsley gives a live report from Ukraine on Chicago’s WGN Radio. Listen below—plus find our daily situation report from our Ukrainian team.
Ex-Nato Chief: Britain Should Have Already Given Ukraine More Tanks
If the World Gives Russia Extra Time, All Progress Could Be at Risk
10 January 2023, daily Ukraine report on Chicago's WGN Radio:
—The fall of Soledar? Amid brutal fighting, Russians prepare to take first new city in more than six months. Why do Soledar and its massive salt-mines, with ceilings as high as 100 feet, matter?
—The King of Sweden hosted a conference on national defense. Why are the Swedes worried about Russia?
—January Christmas continues in Ukraine. Here is more music of the season, the kolyaidi, or carols. How does a Ukrainian carol about "being here" remind people of the war? —Ukraine stories versus Prince Harry stories
—How do Ukrainians get information?
... from my conversation Tuesday 10 January with WGN Radio's Bob Sirott, part of our Ukraine report shared every weekday since February.
Daily Situation Summary: MASS SHELLING OF THE KHARKIV REGION, THE TOUGH SITUATION IN SOLEDAR
BY PAVLO VITENKO, Ukrainian Freedom News
«Wagner», the Russian mercenary group, threw its elite into battle: the Armed Forces of Ukraine explain what is happening in Soledar and Bakhmut
The Bakhmut direction remains the site of the fiercest battles.
In the Bakhmut direction, in particular near Soledar, the Russian group «Wagner» threw its best units into battle – not former prisoners, but veterans with war experience in Syria, Libya and other hot spots.
Colonel Serhii Cherevatyi, the spokesman of the Eastern Group of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said this on the air of the All-Ukrainian telethon, which is broadcast by the TSN YouTube channel.
According to Cherevatyi, during the day in the Bakhmut direction, there were 281 shellings of positions and infrastructure along the entire length of the front, 43 combat clashes, the enemy lost 107 killed and 123 wounded.
«This is the hottest part of the front, where the enemy’s fiercest, most aggressive actions are taking place, where he has concentrated his combat-ready units as much as possible, including the most prepared groups of the organized criminal group «Wagner». It is really difficult there, but it is controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine,» the spokesman said of the Eastern group of troops.
According to him, compared to the personnel army of the Russian Federation, the «Wagners» have «somewhat better equipment in terms of weapons and equipment.»
«But the most important thing is that they are much more professional servicemen, members of «Wagner», who were recruited as special forces for missions in Syria, Libya and other dangerous places. Therefore, they have special training in such units as the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the special forces of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Previously, for such raids and mass attacks, they mostly used former prisoners, and at Soledar they gathered the most professional part, which they used to break through our defenses,» the representative of the Armed Forces said.
As the colonel said, Soledar has long been one of the hotspots of the Bakhmut front:
«All this time, for many months, the occupiers, with the help of both regular troops and the organized criminal group «Wagner», tried to find a weak point in all populated areas and systematically break through our defenses. Bakhmut, Klishchiivka, Ivanhrad, in particular, Soledar was constantly under enemy attack. Therefore, now he managed to concentrate more of his units there and constantly put more systematic pressure on our defense.»
Cherevatyi added that the «Wagnerians» usually do not surrender.
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American journalist Joe Lindsley, in Ukraine since 2020, leads the Ukrainian Freedom News team of Ukrainians and foreigners on a mission to share real talk and real life in war-time with the world. Every weekday since late February 2022, he has reported live from Ukraine on Chicago’s WGN Radio with host Bob Sirott. You can listen to all episodes at UkrainianFreedomNews.com or via our YouTube channel.
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UKRAINIAN FREEDOM NEWS
Truth to the World | Supplies to Ukraine
Joe Lindsley, Editor-in-chief
Pavlo Vitenko, Chief Reporter
Anton Hutyriak, Associate Editor
Jean-Baptiste Besson, Field Editor
Beata Szrom, Operations Director