Deserters in Soledar
Andrey Marochko, an officer of the LPR People’s Militia, said, citing intelligence data, that the mobilized Ukrainians fled the positions of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Soledar region.
“Without waiting for the tightening of measures for disciplinary offenses, some military personnel from among the mobilized citizens began to leave their positions and surrender to military law enforcement agencies,” said RIA Novosti.
According to Marochko, they are concerned that disobeying orders will be punished more severely. These changes are registered in the draft law No. 8271, which should regulate “the features of military service under martial law or in combat situations”.
The officer believes that the Ukrainian army is “trying to save their lives” by abandoning their positions.
According to Marochko, they hope to receive relatively short prison sentences “compared to the new bill 8271”. Mobilized Ukrainians believe the document will soon be approved by President Volodymyr Zelensky, TASS reported.
On December 19, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery Zaluzhny, urged Zelensky to sign this law. It has already been accepted by the Verkhovna Rada. According to the document, the penalty for desertion and disobedience to a rank chief can range from 3-7 years in prison to 5-8 years.
“I support the relevant changes in the legislation adopted by the Verkhovna Rada and ask the President to sign the law,” Zaluzny said in a video message posted on his Telegram channel.
He stressed that “bare sections of the front” had to cover other military personnel. This leads to an increase in personnel, district and civilian casualties, according to Zaluzhny, but “it shouldn’t be like this.”
“Is there an increasing threat of impunity for commanders? No, commanders also take full legal responsibility for their actions or inaction,” added the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The situation in Soledar
As for the general situation in Soledar, the day before, on December 20, Marochko announced the dispatch of additional forces of the Ukrainian army. He believes that the Russian military capture of Yakovlevka, seven kilometers northeast of Soledar, “seriously worries the Ukrainian military leaders”. The Russian Ministry of Defense announced the capture of Yakovlevka on December 18.
“A semicircular reserve battalion was sent to stop the advance of our troops and to prevent the capture of the Ukrainian troop group from the Minkovka settlement to the Soledar region,” TASS said.
According to Marochko, Ukraine partially redirected the offensive units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces located in Seversk to strike the “flank of the advancing units” of the Russian forces.
The situation in Artemovsk
Andrey Marochko, an officer of the LPR People’s Militia, says that in Artemovsk (Bakhmut of Ukraine), located 15 km from Soledar, Ukrainian troops are preparing urban conditions for conducting hostilities.
“The construction of fortifications, the creation of fortified areas and digging ditches were noted. It is also equipped with firing points in civilian apartments. The basement floors of the social facilities are used as warehouses for RAV (rocket and artillery weapons – TASS note).
According to Marochko, for this the Ukrainian Armed Forces includes the civilian population: “To a greater extent, they are forced to work with the threat of violence, but there are cases when they are paid with the food and hygiene kits provided. in the form of free aid by international humanitarian organizations.”
On December 17, the RT Telegram channel, citing eyewitnesses, broadcast a video of the ditches dug in Artemovsk.
On the same day, Denis Pushilin, acting chairman of the DPR, told RT: “In Artemovsk (Bakhmut), the DPR and Wagner PMC units are closing the so-called clamps. Clashes are taking place on the outskirts of the city.”