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The Story

Wagner Group: The private army leading Russia’s fightback

The Story

The Times

News, Investigative Reporting, Long-form Audio, Current Affairs, In-depth Journalism, Daily News, Audio Storytelling, Daily News Podcast, Global News, Politics, Uk News, News Analysis, Exclusive Interviews

3.91.6K Ratings

🗓️ 18 January 2023

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Ukraine continues to deny Russia’s claims of victory in Soledar, where the Wagner Group – a private army – has been fighting. Why is Russia fighting for such a small town? And who are the mercenaries leading the assault?

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Transcript

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0:27.6

I'm Alex Dibble from The Times. There's so much happening in the world right now.

0:31.6

How do you stay on top of it? On the World in 10 podcast, me and my team sit down

0:36.7

and go through it all in just 10 minutes. The Times Correspondents join us with

0:40.9

eyewitness accounts and interviews. I was actually on the orthopedic ward,

0:44.0

almost all the injuries are shell fire. A woman who was inside the police van.

0:48.7

They also give us their unique analysis of world events. Give the world in 10 listen.

0:53.3

It is 10 minutes to stay on top of the world.

1:08.4

Before war came to Ukraine, almost a year ago now,

1:13.5

the little town of Solidar had little reason to make the news.

1:19.0

No, no, only for the sprawling salt mines beneath it, the town itself was barely bigger than a village

1:26.4

with just 10,000 local residents, a little railway station and a few roads lined with apartment blocks.

1:35.2

Now, those roads are lined with rubble and Solidar is making headlines around the world.

1:43.7

The fight for the small salt mining town in eastern Ukraine has assumed an outsized significance.

1:51.8

But a women's Solidar would give Vladimir Putin his first victory after months of humiliating losses.

2:05.8

Last Friday, Russia claimed the fight for Solidar was over and they'd won.

2:12.5

But the Ukraine in military says the fighting is still ongoing.

...

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