Ukraine says mining town holding out against Russian assault

By ANDREW MELDRUM
Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The fate of a devastated salt-mining town in eastern Ukraine is hanging in the balance. Ukraine says its forces are holding out against a furious Russian onslaught in one of the fiercest and costliest recent ground battles of the nearly 11-month war. Soledar is under heavy shelling by Russian forces using jets, mortars and rockets. A Ukrainian military officer near Soledar said the Russian assault was unrelenting. Ukraine’s deputy defense minister on Wednesday denied Russian claims that Soledar had fallen but acknowledged that heavy fighting was ongoing.