<span style="color: #222222;">Russia's backed Wagner Group has claimed control over the town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine. The Russian media reports that the Wagner head, Yevgeniy Prigozhin said, Wagner units took control of the entire territory of Soledar. He said, a cauldron has been formed in the centre of the city in which urban fighting is going on.</span><br />''<br />''Earlier, Ukraine's Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Maliar said that heavy fighting is continuing.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">According to media reports, the fall of Soledar, a small salt-mining town in the Donetsk region, could help Russian troops to encircle the nearby strategic city of Bakhmut.</span><br />