Ukraine war live updates: Defiant Kyiv says Russia doesn't control war hot spot Soledar; Ukraine estimates billions in reconstruction costs - CNBC

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a coordination gathering successful Lviv connected the existent information concern successful the northwest of the country.

Zelenskyy was briefed connected the operational concern connected the borderline with Belarus, arsenic good arsenic proceeding details astir "counter-subversive measures" successful northwestern regions.

"The main taxable is the information concern successful the north-western regions of Ukraine," Zelenskyy said connected his Telegram channel, according to comments translated by NBC News. "We discussed authorities borderline protection, the operational concern connected the borderline with the Republic of Belarus, and counter-subversive measures successful these territories."

"We recognize that isolated from almighty statements, we bash not spot thing almighty there, but nevertheless we indispensable beryllium acceptable some astatine the borderline and successful the regions," helium said.

Throughout the war, Kyiv has been wary astir subject activities wrong Belarus and adjacent its borderline with Ukraine fixed that Minsk, Russia's ally, allowed its territory to beryllium a staging crushed for the penetration of Ukraine's bluish regions astatine the commencement of the war.

Despite associated subject drills with Russia, and the enactment of a associated warring force, Minsk insists it has nary plans to participate the warfare arsenic an progressive subordinate connected Russia's side.

Russia and Belarus are astir to clasp respective weeks of associated aviation drills. On Wednesday, Belarus' defence ministry said that associated aerial defence forces had been reinforced, with caller rocket units moved into position, Reuters reported.

— Holly Ellyatt

Estonia has told Russia to trim the fig of diplomats astatine its embassy successful Tallinn by February, the Baltic country's overseas ministry said connected Wednesday.

It said successful a connection Russia should little the fig of diplomats to eight, which equals the fig of Estonian diplomats successful Moscow.

The Russian embassy successful Tallinn connected its website lists 17 diplomats. Since the Russia's penetration of Ukraine, Estonia has already expelled 3 diplomats.

"In airy of the information that during the warfare of aggression, the unit of the Russian embassy is not engaged successful advancing Estonian-Russian relations, it is our presumption that determination are nary grounds for the existent size of the Russian embassy," the ministry said connected Wednesday.

— Reuters

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov appeared cautious to endorse claims by Russian mercenary radical person Yevgeny Prigozhin that the municipality of Soledar successful Donetsk has travel nether the afloat power of his Wagner Group forces.

When asked by reporters to remark connected Prigozhin's connection connected Tuesday, successful which helium claimed that his Wagner fighters — a paramilitary radical warring alongside Russia's regular units — had taken "control of the full territory of Soledar," Peskov advised caution.

"Wait, let's not rush, let's hold for authoritative statements [by the Ministry of Defense]," Peskov said, according to comments translated by NBC News.

"Overall, determination is simply a affirmative dynamic there, but occurrence successful the subject cognition volition beryllium achieved erstwhile we fulfill the goals acceptable by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief [Russian President Putin] for the peculiar subject operation."

"Although tactical successes are besides precise important. They travel astatine a precise precocious price, astatine the terms of the fantastic heroism of our fighters, truthful this is different crushed to beryllium arrogant of our guys who bash not regret their lives oregon their wellness to springiness america these tactical successes," Peskov said.

Ukraine disputes the assertion that Soledar has been captured, with officials saying dense warring continues there. They besides assertion Russia has suffered immense losses pursuing its seizure of Soledar and Bakhmut.

Soledar is known for its brackish mines, and capturing the municipality would springiness Russian forces an advantageous determination from which to motorboat much assaults connected adjacent Bakhmut, capturing which is seen arsenic a cardinal extremity for Russia arsenic it looks to prehend afloat power of the eastbound Donetsk portion and wider Donbas. Putin has said the "liberation" of Donbas is simply a cardinal extremity of what Russia calls its "special subject operation" successful Ukraine.

— Holly Ellyatt

Major Western measures targeting Russia's lipid revenues are costing the Kremlin astir 160 cardinal euros ($171.8 million) per day, according to a caller report, prompting Ukrainian officials and campaigners to telephone for policymakers to ratchet up the fiscal unit connected Moscow successful bid to assistance Kyiv prevail successful the war.

A study by the Centre for Research connected Energy and Clean Air, an autarkic Finnish deliberation tank, recovered that Russia's net from fossil substance exports fell 17% successful December, slipping to their lowest level since President Vladimir Putin launched his full-scale penetration of Ukraine successful precocious February.

It comes conscionable implicit 1 period aft the European Union's prohibition connected seaborne imports of Russian crude and the G-7's terms headdress came into force.

Read much connected the communicative here.

— Sam Meredith

Ukraine is continuing to cull Russian claims that its forces person captured the Donetsk municipality of Soledar.

Serhiy Cherevatyi, spokesperson for the eastbound subject command, told Ukrainian tv Wednesday that "Soledar is not nether the power of the Russian Federation. Heavy warring is going connected determination now," helium said, successful comments translated by NBC News.

Cherevatyi claimed Russians had "carried retired a peculiar accusation operation" to beforehand the assertion that Russian forces had already captured Soledar but said "this is not true."

"The concern determination is difficult, but it is nether the power of the authorities enactment of our equipped forces. We are moving connected making absorption decisions that volition let america to stabilize the concern successful the metropolis and origin maximum harm to the force with minimal losses from our side," helium added. 

This morning, Ukraine's operational update said Soledar was among the settlements successful Donetsk that were being shelled, portion Reuters reported that from the outskirts of the town, plumes of fume could beryllium seen rising, describing the incoming artillery fires arsenic "relentless."

CNBC was incapable to instantly verify Cherevatyi's claim. On Tuesday, the caput of the Russian backstage subject company, the Wagner Group, which has been warring successful the country astir Soledar and Bakhmut for months, claimed that his fighters had taken "control of the full territory of Soledar" portion municipality warfare was continuing.

Capturing Soledar would beryllium a coup for Russia arsenic it seeks to beforehand further and seizure adjacent Bakhmut. Ultimately, Russia wants to instrumentality afloat power of Donetsk and the wider Donbas region.

— Holly Ellyatt

A associated Russian-Belarusian tactical formation workout to beryllium held successful the state from Jan. 16 until the commencement of February is apt to beryllium a genuine drill, according to Britain's Ministry of Defense.

"The caller deployment of Russian craft to Belarus is apt a genuine exercise, alternatively than a mentation for immoderate further violative operations against Ukraine," the ministry said successful its latest quality update connected Twitter.

"Although Russia maintains a ample fig of forces successful Belarus, they are mostly progressive successful training. They are improbable to represent a credible violative force," it noted. There has been persistent speculation that Russia's state Belarus could actively participate the warfare successful Ukraine to combat alongside Russian forces, contempt an insistence from the authorities successful Minsk that it volition not articulation the fighting.

The ministry noted however "amateur craft spotters noted the accomplishment of full of 12 Mi-8 enactment helicopters and Mi-24 and Ka-52 onslaught helicopters. With immoderate appearing with 'Z' markings, the craft landed astatine Machulishchy Air Base adjacent Minsk."

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukraine has not conceded decision successful Soledar successful Donetsk, a municipality that Russia's mercenary paramilitary group, the Wagner Group, claims to present afloat control.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not remark connected the salt-mining town's destiny successful his nightly code Tuesday, lone thanking Ukrainian forces who person been defending Soledar, saying:

"I convey everyone who helps america support Ukraine and freedom, fights for independency and works to fortify Ukraine! Today I'd similar to wage peculiar tribute to the warriors of the 46th abstracted airmobile brigade for their bravery and steadfastness successful defending Soledar! Thank you, warriors!"

Ukrainian Presidential Advisor Oleksii Arestovych said Tuesday that Soledar was "semi-surrounded, if we look astatine unfastened sources it looks similar this: the occidental parts are [taken] by the enemy, but the halfway and northwest, and southwestern parts [of the city] are standing," successful YouTube successful comments translated by NBC News.

Elsewhere, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said connected Telegram Tuesday that warring was continuing successful Soledar.

"Heavy warring is going connected to clasp Soledar. The force does not wage attraction to the dense losses of their unit and continues an progressive assault. The approaches to our positions are simply strewn with the bodies of dormant force fighters," Maliar said.

CNBC has asked Ukraine's defence ministry for comment.

— Holly Ellyatt

The caput of the Russian backstage subject company, the Wagner Group, which is predominantly warring successful the country astir Bakhmut successful Donetsk, has claimed that his fighters person wholly taken power of the strategically important brackish mining municipality of Soledar.

"Units of the Wagner PMC [private subject company] person taken power of the full territory of Soledar. The metropolis halfway has been surrounded, and municipality warfare is nether way. The fig of prisoners volition beryllium announced tomorrow," Yevgeny Prigozhin, the laminitis and caput of the Wagner Group, said successful a connection Tuesday released connected Telegram and translated by Russian authorities quality bureau Tass, accompanied by an representation of fighters successful what could beryllium an underground mine. The Wagner Group is simply a paramilitary radical of mercenaries warring alongside Russia's regular units.

Prigozhin has achieved a overmuch higher-profile since Russia invaded Ukraine and his Wagner fighters joined successful Russia's warfare effort. He antecedently denied links to the paramilitary radical that helium founded successful 2014 successful bid to enactment pro-Russian separatists successful eastbound Ukraine.

Since admitting founding the group, however, helium has been keen to capitalize connected their comparative successes connected the battlefield. Yesterday, Prigozhin commented, "Once again, I privation to stress that nary units but for the fighters of the Wagner PMC took portion successful the battle connected Soledar."

On Tuesday, Britain's Ministry of Defense said it believed that Russian and Wagner forces were apt successful power of astir of Soledar aft "tactical advances" successful the past 4 days. A Ukrainian authoritative said yesterday that Russia had concentrated the champion fighters from the Wagner Group successful Soledar.

Ukraine's authorities has been mostly tight-lipped astir Soledar's fate, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy not commenting connected the town's presumption successful his nightly code and 1 authoritative saying the metropolis was lone "semi-surrounded."

— Holly Ellyatt

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked allies for their renewed committedness to springiness his state much weapons, but called for a "new level of modern subject equipment."

"It is adjacent much important present erstwhile Russia is gathering forces for different escalation," Zelenskyy said during a nightly code connected his authoritative Telegram channel.

Zelenskyy said that present was the "time for caller almighty decisions, for caller almighty support."

"The escaped satellite has everything indispensable to halt Russian aggression and bring the violent authorities to a historical decision and it is important not lone for us, it is important for planetary democracy, for each those who worth freedom," Zelenskyy added.

— Amanda Macias

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the reconstruction of Ukraine is expected to outgo an estimated 110 cardinal hryvnia, oregon astir $2.9 billion.

"The standard of demolition is enormous," Shmyhal said connected his authoritative Telegram channel.

He added that the "Ukraine Recovery Program volition go the largest reconstruction task since the Second World War. We person already identified 4 cardinal sources of its funding."

— Amanda Macias

The champion fighters from Russia's paramilitary group, known arsenic the Wagner Group, person been deployed to combat successful Soledar successful Donetsk successful eastbound Ukraine, wherever Russian forces person made tactical gains successful caller days.

Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesperson for Ukraine's eastbound forces, told section TV transmission 24 that Russian forces were deploying their champion Wagner fighters astatine Soledar, which had been struck 86 times by artillery implicit the past 24 hours.

Russia is believed to spot the seizure of Soledar arsenic a measurement toward its bigger target, that of capturing Bakhmut successful Donetsk wherever warring has been aggravated for months.

Cherevaty said Russia was utilizing World War I-style tactics, throwing ample numbers of men into conflict and absorbing dense losses.

The Wagner Group is simply a backstage subject institution whose forces are warring alongside Russia's modular subject units. Wagner fighters person been privately recruited and the radical is estimated to beryllium astir 50,000-men strong. Many of the servicemen person been recruited from Russian prisons having been offered the accidental to combat successful Ukraine successful instrumentality for pardons. Some Wagner fighters person reportedly already received pardons having fulfilled their subject contracts.

"This is fundamentally not a 21st-century war," Cherevaty said, according to comments connected Youtube translated by NBC News.

"Currently, the hottest spot successful the Bakhmut absorption is Soledar. There are fierce battles now, and the force has concentrated determination the champion units of the ... 'Wagner' radical [there], which are supported by the regular equipped forces of the Russian Federation. Fierce battles are ongoing there. The force is trying to prehend this Ukrainian metropolis astatine immoderate cost," helium said.

On Tuesday alone, Cherevaty said that 86 instances of shelling had been recorded astir Soledar and surrounding settlements. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday nighttime that hardly immoderate walls were near lasting successful Soledar and that Russian corpses covered the landscape.

"What did Russia privation to summation there? Everything is wholly destroyed, determination is astir nary beingness left. And thousands of their radical were lost: the full onshore adjacent Soledar is covered with the corpses of the occupiers and scars from the strikes," Zelenskyy said.

— Holly Ellyatt

Russia, arsenic we cognize it, whitethorn not past the coming decennary and risks becoming a failed authorities arsenic it pursues its costly warfare successful Ukraine, according to a survey of planetary strategists and analysts.

The Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security polled 167 planetary strategists and practitioners past autumn connected the biggest prospective drivers of geopolitical, societal, economic, technological and environmental change.

One of the poll's most astonishing takeaways, according to the American deliberation tank, was that respondents pointed to a imaginable Russian illness implicit the adjacent decade.

This was "suggesting that the Kremlin's warfare against Ukraine could precipitate hugely consequential upheaval successful a large powerfulness with the largest nuclear-weapons arsenal connected the planet," the Atlantic Council noted.

Read much connected the communicative here

In the past 4 days, Russian forces and their colleagues successful the Russian backstage subject institution known arsenic the Wagner Group person made "tactical advances" into the tiny Donbas municipality of Soledar, according to the latest quality update from Britain's Ministry of Defense.

Soledar is astir 6 miles northbound of Bakhmut, the seizure of which apt continues to beryllium Russia's "main contiguous operational objective," the ministry noted.

Despite caller advances into Soledar and "increased pressure" connected adjacent people Bakhmut, the ministry said "Russia is improbable to envelop the municipality imminently due to the fact that Ukrainian forces support unchangeable antiaircraft lines successful extent and power implicit proviso routes."

The ministry noted that "Russia's Soledar axis is highly apt an effort to envelop Bakhmut from the north, and to disrupt Ukrainian lines of communication."

"Part of the warring has focused connected entrances to the 200km-long disused brackish excavation tunnels which tally underneath the district. Both sides are apt acrophobic that they could beryllium utilized for infiltration down their lines."

On Monday night, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that portion Russian forces "have present concentrated their top efforts connected Soledar, the effect of this hard and agelong conflict volition beryllium the liberation of our full Donbas."

He conceded, however, that the warring was "extremely difficult" astir Soledar, a spot wherever helium said determination were hardly immoderate walls near standing.

"Due to the resilience of our warriors there, successful Soledar, we person gained further clip and further powerfulness for Ukraine," he said successful his nightly address.

"And what did Russia privation to summation there? Everything is wholly destroyed, determination is astir nary beingness left. And thousands of their radical were lost: the full onshore adjacent Soledar is covered with the corpses of the occupiers and scars from the strikes."

— Holly Ellyatt