Ukraine updates: Soledar's fate unclear amid heavy fighting

Kyiv denied that Russian mercenary group Wagner had taken the important gateway town of Soledar in east Ukraine. If captured, the taking of Soledar could pave the way for further advancements of the Russian military in the Donbas region. 

"Soledar was, is and will be Ukrainian," the strategic communications branch of the Ukrainian military said in a statement. It also stated that pictures released by the Wagner group which Russian media proclaimed were taken in Soledar had been taken somewhere else.

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar wrote on Telegram that "heavy fighting to defend Soledar continues."

"Regardless of its losses, the enemy continues to attack," Malyar said.

Prior to that, Russian mercenary group Wagner stated its forces captured Soledar after days of heavy fighting, as Russian state news agency TASS reported. The town of Soledar lies some 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the strategic city of Bakhmut. The area around Soledar and Bakhmut is the last large area in the Donbas region that the Ukrainians still control.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner group's chief, stated several Ukrainian soldiers were still encircled in the center of the disputed town. However, the US think tank Institute for the Study of War questioned Soledar's fate, as there was only visual confirmation that Wagner troops had entered the city center. 

Here are other related developments concerning the war in Ukraine on January 11:

Russian oil revenues falling because of price cap — US

Russian oil revenues are falling due to the price cap that Western countries imposed on its crude oil shipments and, ahead of further caps on Russia's oil products, Europe is well positioned to manage any price pressures, a US Treasury official said.

The Group of Seven countries, Australia and the European Union will extend sanctions on Russia for its war in Ukraine by putting a price cap on its oil products, such as gasoline and diesel, on February 5. The coalition placed a $60 (€56) per barrel limit on sea-borne Russian crude oil sales late last year.

Russia is losing a great deal of money daily because of the cap, the senior Treasury official told reporters. "For every dollar Russia is not getting in revenue, that's one less dollar they can use propping up their economy, or investing into weapons they need to fight this illegitimate war in Ukraine," he said.

The official did not estimate Russian revenue losses from crude oil shipments. But the cap has increased shipping costs on some Russian oil cargoes because it forces countries that want Russian oil above the cap to use a shadow fleet of non-Western ships and risk using "less trustworthy" insurance, the official said.

Russian Urals grade crude for delivery to Europe <URL-E> was quoted at about $53.43 on Wednesday, maintaining a recent steep discount to benchmark Brent crude, which was trading at $82.67.

Poland says ready to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine 

Polish President Andrzej Duda has said his country is willing to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine as requested by Kyiv.

Speaking on a visit to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv where he met with his Ukrainian and Lithuanian counterparts, Duda said Warsaw was ready to deliver the tanks "within the framework of an international coalition."

His remarks come as Warsaw seeks to play a leading role in bringing about a consensus among Western allies regarding such weapons.

Poland would require approval from Berlin to send the German-made tanks, as their delivery to Ukraine demands a re-export authorization by the country of origin.

Berlin has so far refused to send the tanks itself, saying it does not want to act alone in sending heavy weaponry,though it agreed last week to supply Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine. 

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed Poland's initiative.

"Many thanks to President Andrzej Duda, the Polish government and all our Polish friends," Zelenskyy said. "The Western-made tanks are the work of our entire anti-war coalition and a new level of our potential." 

Russian army chief Valery Gerasimov appointed overall commander in Ukraine

Russia's Defense Ministry on Wednesday appointed Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov to serve as commander of the combined forces group currently attacking Ukraine in what Moscow calls a "special military operation."

He is replacing Sergey Surovikin, who has been in the position only since last October. Surovikin is to remain on as Gerasimov's deputy, the ministry said.

It is the third time Moscow has replaced its commander in Ukraine in a war that has so far lasted almost 11 months.

The rapid turnover possibly reflects a certain dissatisfaction in the Kremlin after multiple setbacks on the battlefield and failure to secure victory in a campaign that the Kremlin had expected to be over in a matter of weeks.

Kharkiv hit after German minister's visit

Russian strikes hit the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv late Tuesday, the regional governor said, just hours after a surprise visit by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

"Stay in the shelters. The occupiers are bombing again!" regional governor Oleg Synegubov warned on Telegram.

Kharkiv has faced heavy bombardment during the war, but the frontline has moved east since a Ukrainian counteroffensive retook territory from Russian forces. 

Baerbock, who on Tuesday became the highest-level Western official to visit Kharkiv, had pledged further German support for Ukraine.

"In all parts of Ukraine, from Kharkiv to Kherson to Kyiv, people should know they can rely on our solidarity and support," she said.

She stressed that Germany will keep supplying weapons "that Ukraine needs in order to free its citizens who are still suffering under the terror of Russian occupation.

Zelenskyy expatriates four pro-Russian members of parliament

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the expatriation of four pro-Russian members of parliament who are suspected of now residing in Russia and having obtained citizenship there.

"If people's deputies choose to serve not the people of Ukraine, but the murderers who came to Ukraine, our actions will be appropriate," Zelenskyy said in his regular video address.

Action was taken "based on the materials prepared by the Security Service of Ukraine and the State Migration Service of Ukraine, and in accordance with the Constitution," the Ukrainian president said.

The four individuals affected are Andriy Derkach, Taras Kozak, Renat Kuzmin and Viktor Medvedchuk.

Medvedchuk arrived in Russia in September as part of a prisoner exchange. Derkach, Kozak and Kuzmin are also believed to be in Russia and all four are suspected of having Russian citizenship.

The four lawmakers represented a pro-Russian party, Opposition Platform - For Life, which was banned following the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February last year.

Ukrainian troops to train on Patriot system in Oklahoma

About 100 Ukrainian troops will head to Oklahoma's Fort Sill as soon as next week to begin training on the Patriot missile defense system, getting Kyiv closer to obtaining the long-sought protection against Russia's missile attacks.

The number of Ukrainians coming to Fort Sill is approximately the number it takes to operate one battery, and they will focus on learning to operate and also maintain the Patriot, Pentagon spokesman Air Force General Pat Ryder said.

Patriot training normally can take several months, but "the longer those troops are off the line, they're not actually engaged in combat," Ryder said, so the training will be shortened. Fort Sill was selected because it already runs Patriot training schools, Ryder said.

The US pledged one Patriot battery in December as part of one of several large military assistance packages it has provided Ukraine in recent weeks. Last week Germany pledged an additional Patriot battery.

los, tj, dh/msh (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)