The Russian Defense Ministry has stated that its artillery and Air Force landed a series of strikes against Ukrainian command centers and footholds, as well as a local base of the US private military company helping Kiev’s forces. The ministry specified that the mercenary base belonged to the Academi PMC – formerly known as the notorious Blackwater company. It was situated near the town of Krasatorsk, in the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR).
The strikes also hit the foothold of the Kraken nationalist battalion and centers for coordination of Ukrainian missile strikes located near the town of Shurino, Nikolaev region. During the operations, 47 Ukrainian artillery positions and 127 Ukrainian troops and military equipment positions were struck in the last 24 hours.
The strikes came as part of the continuing Russian special military operation in Ukraine, which was launched on February 24 by President Vladimir Putin at the request of the DPR and Lugansk People’s Republic (LPR).
Both Donbass republics have suffered from Ukrainian shelling since they declared independence in response to the West-backed coup in Kiev in 2014 that brought nationalist politicians to power.