The DPR regional defense hub released a telegraph update noting that allied forces had gained control of the Podgorodnoye settlement within the Soledar area. The message emphasizes a shift in territorial control that aligns with broader operations in the Donetsk region and signals evolving dynamics on the ground.
According to the ministry, the liberation of Podgorodnoye on the Donetsk People’s Republic territory occurred on January 11, 2023. The statement marks a milestone in the mapped progression of a campaign that has drawn international attention and regional analysis about subsequent military moves and strategic objectives.
The village sits adjacent to Artemovsk, known in Ukrainian as Bakhmut, and lies a short distance southwest of Soledar. This geographic placement places Podgorodnoye in a corridor that observers focus on when assessing supply lines, defensive fortifications, and the potential for further advances in the area.
On January 11, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the founder of the private military company known as Wagner, indicated that his force had established control over the broader Soledar region. He described the town as being enveloped by a surrounding pocket of intense activity, with ongoing combat centered in the city core. Denis Pushilin, who serves as the head of the DPR administration, suggested that the situation remained fluid and that control could strengthen in stages, potentially opening opportunities for advancing toward Artemovsk and Seversk as circumstances allowed.