hello. lauren taylor, london, top stories on al jazeera russian forces have stepped up their assault on the eastern ukrainian salt mining town of sola, dar ukraine s president said the area has been flattened by fighting british defense ministry says appears russia has taken control of much of the town and sorted out, and in doing so, blocked key ukrainian supply and communication lines to back moot, the capture of back moot is currently one of moscow s main military objectives. char stratford has more from keith present zalinski last night. acknowledging that the battle for solid was indeed intensifying he saying that the ukrainians had in his words one time in order to get more men and supplies inside that town. now solid is around 20 kilometers northeast of the town of buck. mood, of course, buck mood is seen some of the most intensive fighting over recent weeks and months . a town that is often nicknamed a meat grinder because of the sheer amount of men that have been kil