Russian Defence Minister: We destroy all Western weapons in Ukraine

As part of the special military operation in Ukraine, the Russian troops took control of Soledar and a number of other settlements in Donetsk and Zaporozhye (Zaporizhzhia) directions, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a departmental meeting.

The Russian Armed Forces took control of the following settlements:

• Kleshcheevka,
• Podgornoe,
• Krasnopolye,
• Blagodatnoe,
• Lobkove,
• Nikolaevka.

According to Shoigu, the Russian troops are successfully fighting in the area of Vuhledar and Bakhmut (aka Artemovsk).

Russia took control of the city of Soledar in early January. On January 10, acting head of the Donetsk People's Republic, Denis Pushilin, announced that units of private military company Wagner entered the city center. Later, entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin, PMC Wagner founder, said that his fighters occupied the entire territory of the city. Soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continued to resist until January 12, until the Russian troops completed the cleansing of Soledar.

The Russian military destroy weapons and military equipment that Kyiv receives from Western countries. Those weapons get destroyed both in transit and on combat positions, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said, RIA Novosti reports.

"The Russian troops continue grinding up all the weapons and equipment supplied to Kyiv, both while on delivery routes and in combat positions,” he said.

Ukraine loses 6,500 troops in January

Losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in January amounted to more than 6,500 military personnel, Shoigu said. In addition, 26 aircraft and 7 helicopters, 208 drones, 341 tanks were destroyed.

In January of this year, the Ukrainian troops lost more than 6,500 troops, Shoigu also said during the meeting.

Over the past month, the Ukrainian army lost 26 planes, 7 helicopters, 208 drones, 341 tanks, 40 MLRS vehicles, the minister added.