As more than 500 civilians including children were trapped in Ukraine's eastern salt mining town of Soledar, Kyiv said its troops were holding out against pro-Moscow forces there.
In a video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday thanked two units in Soledar that he said "are holding their positions and inflicting significant losses on the enemy." He did not give more details.
Zelenskyy said he and senior Ukrainian commanders had analyzed the need for reinforcements in Soledar and nearby towns in the eastern industrial area known as the Donbas and next steps for the coming days.