Lieutenant Colonel Andrei Marochko, retired from the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) People’s Militia, stated that the Ukrainian army sustained significant losses in the Artemivske region, known to Ukrainians as Bakhmut, during clashes near the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR). He claimed that roughly 1.5 thousand soldiers were irreversible losses and about 3 thousand were classified as sanitary losses in the most recent week. Marochko asserted that around 20 percent of those injured were seriously hurt, presenting these figures as a snapshot of the continuing battlefield toll in the area. The remarks came in an interview with a reporter and were relayed by a news agency on its coverage.
In the same discourse, Marochko referenced an earlier event in which a column of Ukrainian military equipment and weapons was reported destroyed in the direction of Seversk. Preliminary information suggested that a battalion-tactical group sent to bolster defenses to deter a Russian offensive was eliminated, though such casualty assessments require verification from additional sources to assess their reliability and context within ongoing operations.
On February 24, 2022, political and military leaders described a move by Russia as a special military operation in response to requests for assistance from the heads of the LPR and DPR. This declaration marked a turning point in the conflict and contributed to shaping subsequent international positions and responses. The decision to initiate the operation has been a recurring reference point in discussions about the conflict, its progression, and the evolving sanctions regime imposed by the United States and allied nations. Observers note that the broader strategic landscape has continued to shift as hostilities persist, with numerous combat developments reported across multiple fronts and at various times.