the Russian Ministry of Defense claims that “the conquest of the city of Soledar has been completed”

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9:53 p.m. : On the Ukrainian front, the Kremlin is projecting itself with a new objective: Bakhmout, where the fighting is raging. The France Télévisions team went to the site, with the population.

8:24 p.m. : The Russian authorities have rigged up the status of“foreign agent” a popular actor, Arthur Smolianinov. He had left Russia like thousands of his compatriots after the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine. In an interview with the opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta Europe, published last week, he said he could see himself fighting against Russian forces.

8:20 p.m. : The International Atomic Energy Agency, already present in the Zaporijjia nuclear power plant occupied by the Russian army, will send experts to the other Ukrainian sites in the coming days and eventually triple their number. The UN body “will soon be permanently deployed in all power plants in Ukraine, including Chernobyl”according to a press release.

8:00 p.m. : It is 8 p.m., here is the point on the news:

• The town of Soledar, in eastern Ukraine, is disputed by Russian and Ukrainian forces. The first claim the capture of the city, the second deny, saying that “fighting is still ongoing”. Follow our live.

• The 13-year-old teenager’s diary is at the heart of the investigation opened following his suicide. He had told his relatives about the mockery he suffered because of his homosexuality.

• The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire announced the revaluation of the livret A from 2 to 3% from 1 February. The rise in inflation is the main explanation for this revaluation.

• The Trump Organization, the family business of the former American president, was sentenced in New York to a fine of 1.6 million dollars for financial and tax fraud.

6:19 p.m. : Just now, Yevgeny Prigojine, leader of the Wagner group, said again that no soldier of the regular Russian army had taken part in the fighting in the city. The Russian army specifies this evening that it organized the blocking of the city in North and in the South, isolated the zone, prevented the Ukrainian transfers and organized an artillery support. But it salutes, this time, the role of the mercenaries.

6:22 p.m. : For its part, the Russian army salutes the “courage” of Wagner’s mercenaries, engaged in street fighting in Soledar. So far, the Russian Ministry of Defense had not mentioned the role of these fighters in the operation carried out in Soledar. A strong rivalry exists between the Wagner group and the regular army. These two sides are vying for cover for credit for a possible potential win, as several recent releases have shown.

6:13 p.m. : “The fights for Soledar continue”, says the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense in a press release. He gives no other details on the situation in this city, the capture of which is claimed by the Russian army and the Wagner group.

6:10 p.m. : It is 6 p.m., here is the point on the news:

• The town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine is disputed by Russian and Ukrainian forces. The first claim the capture of the city, the second deny, saying that “fighting is still ongoing”. Follow our live.

• The Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire announced the revaluation of the booklet A from 2 to 3% from February 1. The rise in inflation is the main explanation for this revaluation.

• The Trump Organization, the family business of the former American president, was sentenced in New York to a fine of 1.6 million dollars for financial and tax fraud.

• The 13-year-old teenager’s diary is at the heart of the investigation opened following his suicide. He had told his relatives about the mockery he suffered because of his homosexuality.

5:35 p.m. : Taking Solar by the Russians, denied by the Ukrainian forces, is of essential importance for Moscow. The city is home to a salt mine whose galleries are coveted by the Russians to protect their soldiers from Ukrainian strikes. The explanations of our journalist Eric Biegala.

4:34 p.m. : It is a little after 2 p.m., here is the point on the news:

• Good news for savers. The rate of the booklet A will go from 2% to 3%, from February 1, announced the Minister of Economy Bruno Le Maire.

• The Russian army claimed to have completely conquered the city of Soledar, in eastern Ukraine. Information almost immediately denied by a spokesperson for the Ukrainian armed forces, who assures that “fights are still going on” in the city. Follow our live.

• French footballer Benjamin Mendy has been found not guilty of six rapes by a UK court. The court did not issue a verdict on two other charges, rape and attempted rape. He will be retried on June 26.

• The secretary general of the CGT, Philippe Martinez, judged “absolutely outrageous” the call for responsibility launched the day before to the unions by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, while the latter are preparing the mobilization against the pension reform.

1:36 p.m. : It is 1 p.m. Here are the contents not to be missed today on franceinfo:

“It’s violent to take six more months nine months from the start”testimonies of French people born between 1961 and 1966 who see the retirement plan disrupt the government project

“How many dead are there? Nobody knows”, witness Ukrainian soldiers near Soledar, a city that was the scene of bloody fighting. Reportage

“Stop the Garment Police!” : the National Assembly rejects the compulsory school uniform proposed by the RN.

12:22 p.m. : Ukraine has become “de facto” NATO member, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told the BBC.“Ukraine and the armed forces of Ukraine have become members of NATO. De facto, not de jure” [en droit NDLR], he estimated, “because we have the weaponry, and the understanding of how to use it.”

12:17 p.m. : Serhiy Tcherevaty, spokesperson for the Eastern District of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, assures for his part that “fights are still going on”, in a comment to the Ukrainian media RBK-Ukraine. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry, for its part, has not yet commented on this Russian statement.

12:15 p.m. : It is noon and dust, here is a new point on the news:

#INFLATION The rise in consumer prices rose to 5.2% on annual average over the whole of 2022, announced INSEE, while confirming that it rose to 5.9% in December, compared to December 2021.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have completely conquered the eastern city of Soledar. An announcement immediately denied by Serhiy Cherevaty, spokesperson for the Eastern District of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, in an exclusive comment to RBC-Ukraine. Follow our live.