Soledar can become a bridgehead for the Armed Forces in the Siversky Donets area - ISW
It is possible that the Russian forces will try to use the positions captured in Soledar as a bridgehead for attacks in the direction of Siverskaya - hence the threat of the environment for the defensive positions of the Armed Forces on the western (right) shore of the Seversky Donets. About it reports "Institute of War Study" in its summary for February 2.
The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation can also combine their efforts and create wider fortified positions, from which Bakhmut will try to surround. According to ISW, it is not yet clear whether the operations of Russian troops are directed on the section of Rozdolivka-Mykolaiv on the city's environment due to pressure in the direction of the southwest along the Bakhmut-Siversk, or northwestern direction.
Analysts will continue to monitor the situation in the area mentioned to find out whether the Russians will try to surround Bakhmut, whether to create a new attack of attacks in the direction of Siverskaya. On February 2, the General Staff of Ukraine reported that the forces of Ukraine's defense had repelled the attacks of Russians in the Bakhmut area and surrounding settlements.
At the same time, according to researchers with ISW, geolocated frames confirmed that the Russian forces have reached a significant advance northeast of Bakhmut near Razdolivka, which is 15 kilometers from Bakhmut itself, as well as in the northern outskirts of the city. Recall that, according to analysts for February 1, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation resort to a new tactic in the Bakhmut area.