KHARKIV - Russian strikes hit eastern Ukraine’s city of Kharkiv Wednesday morning, the regional governor said, just hours after a surprise visit by the German foreign minister with her Ukrainian counterpart. Annalena Baerbock vowed further German support for Kyiv on her unannounced trip, but Ukraine’s top diplomat Dmytro Kuleba said Berlin’s refusal to send his country battle tanks was costing lives. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz recently agreed to provide to Ukraine Marder infantry fighting vehicles long sought by Kyiv in its battle against Russia’s invasion. But Berlin has so far declined to supply Ukraine with more advanced Leopard battle tanks. Kuleba, accompanying Baerbock during her visit to the eastern city of Kharkiv, pressed Germany again to send them. The “longer it takes to make the decision, the more people will die”, he said. “I have no doubt that Ukraine will receive German Leopard tanks. I think the German government somewhere deep down understands that this decision will be made and the tanks will be transferred to Ukraine.” RuSSIA’S WAGNER ClAImS to CoNtRol ukRAINE’S SolEdAR The head of Russia’s mercenary group Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, said early Wednesday his fighters had taken control of Ukraine’s city of Soledar after intense fighting this week, but some “urban battles” continued. “Wagner units have taken control of the whole territory of Soledar,” Prigozhin said through his press service on social media, adding that there was fighting in the centre of the city. The extent of Wagner’s control over the city was unclear and AFP was not able to verify the claim. The Kremlin-linked businessman said the “number of captives” will be announced Wednesday. Ukraine has said its army was holding out in Soledar, a salt mining town in the Donetsk region around 15 kilometres (nine miles) from Bakhmut, which Russia has been trying to seize for months. Both sides have said battles for Soledar have been bloody and intense. Prigozhin published a photo of himself in military uniform surrounded by posing Wagner fighters, but did not say where it was taken. Russian state news agency RIA Novosti published another photograph of Prigozhin with armed fighters, saying it had been taken in the salt mines of Soledar.
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