Deserters in Soledar
Andrey Marochko, an officer with the LPR People’s Militia, cited intelligence indicating that mobilized Ukrainians fled their positions in the Soledar region. In a report to RIA Novosti, he stated that some mobilized soldiers began to leave their posts and surrender to military law enforcement agencies without waiting for harsher disciplinary measures to take effect. Marochko noted that disobedience could carry heavier penalties under a forthcoming bill, number 8271, which aims to regulate military service during martial law or combat conditions. He suggested that the Ukrainian army was attempting to save lives by abandoning positions, and that these troops hoped for relatively short prison terms under the new legislation. Mobilized Ukrainians anticipated swift passage of the bill by President Volodymyr Zelensky, according to TASS.
On December 19, the Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine’s Armed Forces, Valery Zaluzhny, urged Zelensky to sign the proposed law, which had already cleared the Verkhovna Rada. The document sets penalties for desertion and disobedience to a rank commander at levels ranging from three to seven years, up to five to eight years in prison. Zaluzhny expressed support for the legislative changes in a video message on his Telegram channel and emphasized the need to shield front-line personnel from dangerous gaps in coverage. He warned that gaps in the front lines lead to higher casualties among both military personnel and civilians, and argued that such outcomes should not occur.
Asked about the risk of commanders facing impunity, Zaluzhny asserted that commanders bear full legal responsibility for their actions or inaction. This stance underscores a broader effort to tighten accountability at all levels within the armed forces.
The situation in Soledar
Regarding the broader situation in Soledar, Marochko reported that Ukrainian forces were reinforced the day prior, December 20, with additional units. He noted that Russian forces had captured Yakovlevka, located seven kilometers northeast of Soledar, a development that he said alarms Ukrainian military leadership. The Russian defense ministry confirmed the seizure of Yakovlevka on December 18. TASS described a semicircular reserve battalion being sent to halt the Ukrainian advance and to prevent the encirclement of the Ukrainian troop group near Minkovka and the Soledar region. Marochko also indicated that Ukraine redirected some of its attacking units from Seversk to threaten the flank of Russian forces advancing toward the area.
The Ukrainian military reportedly pulled units from Seversk in part to pressure the advancing Russian forces along the side of the line, signaling a tactical shift in response to evolving battlefield dynamics.
The situation in Artemovsk
Marochko said that in Artemovsk, also known as Bakhmut, located about 15 kilometers from Soledar, Ukrainian troops were preparing urban environments for ongoing hostilities. He observed fortifications being built, fortified areas being established, and trenches being dug. He also noted the creation of firing points in civilian buildings and the use of basement floors of social facilities as storages for rocket and artillery weapons. He added that civilians were being drawn into these activities, with some subjected to coercion or paid with humanitarian aid in return for participation. A video surfaced on December 17 via the RT Telegram channel showing ditches in Artemovsk.
That same day, Denis Pushilin, acting chairman of the Donetsk People’s Republic, told RT that DPR and Wagner PMC units were tightening their control on the city’s outskirts, with clashes reported on the periphery of Artemovsk. The security situation in the area continued to be described as volatile, with both sides indicating ongoing engagement and strategic repositioning.