Battle of Volnovakha

Battle of Volnovakha
Part of the eastern Ukraine offensive of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
Damage from shelling in Volnovakha, 27 February 2022
Date 25 February – 12 March 2022 (2 weeks and 1 day) Location Volnovakha, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine Result Russian victory
Belligerents
Russia  Donetsk PR	Ukraine
Commanders and leaders
Alexei Berngard Vladimir Zhoga †	Pavlo Sbytov †
Units involved
Donetsk People's Militia Sparta Battalion 100th Brigade 3rd Regiment Vostok Battalion 11th Regiment  Russian Armed Forces 19th Motor Rifle Division Buryat 429th Motorized Rifle Regiment (from February) 810th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade (from March 2) 31st Air Assault Brigade 150th Motor Rifle Division (from March 7)	Ukrainian Armed Forces  Ukrainian Ground Forces 53rd Mechanized Brigade[1] 54th Mechanized Brigade[1] 15th Mountain Assault Battalion Georgian Legion  Ukrainian Navy 503rd Naval Infantry Battalion National Guard of Ukraine Azov Regiment Donbas Battalion Territorial Defense Forces 109th Territorial Defense Brigade[1]
Casualties and losses
Ukrainian claim: 50+ soldiers killed 5 soldiers captured 2 tanks and 2 BMPs destroyed 1 tank captured[1] 1 Su-25 destroyed 1 Mi-8 destroyed	Russian claim: 9 tanks destroyed or abandoned Several BMP and BTR troop carriers destroyed or abandoned 1 Uragan rocket-artillery truck destroyed[1] 1 Su-25 destroyed[2]

The battle of Volnovakha was a military engagement which lasted from 25 February 2022 until 12 March 2022, as part of the Eastern Ukraine offensive during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russian and DPR forces engaged Ukrainian forces at the small city of Volnovakha in Donetsk Oblast, which is located close to the Ukrainian-DPR border.

The battle was spearheaded by DPR forces and led to the widespread destruction of the town and heavy casualties on both sides.^[3]