https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/russian-forces-pushed-back-casualties-in-thousands-as-drone-tipped-vivaldi-op-endsContinuously updated, source-cited coverage. https://www.live-feeds.com/feed/russian-forces-pushed-back-casualties-in-thousands-as-drone-tipped-vivaldi-op-endshttps://www.live-feeds.com/feed/russian-forces-pushed-back-casualties-in-thousands-as-drone-tipped-vivaldi-op-ends#u130624Sun, 18 Oct 2026 05:06:08 +0000Ukraine has ended Operation Vivaldi, a four-phase counteroffensive in the Donbas region. The military reports recapturing 277 square kilometers of territory and eliminating 8,000 Russian troops. The operation utilized drone swarms and elite foot troops to isolate Russian defenses and prevent the Kremlin from outflanking Ukrainian fortress cities. Recent gains include 16 settlements and three villages in the Donetsk region. The final phase on the Lyman axis resulted in 3,000 fresh Russian casualties, weakening three Russian armies.Why it mattersThe operation focused on securing the eastern Donb