Ukraine’s ‘Operation Vivaldi’ pushed Russian forces back around Lyman in the Donbas. Now both armies are massing troops for the next battles farther south.
Ukrainian forces secured five additional settlements along the Lyman axis during Operation Vivaldi, expanding recent territorial gains. The Third Army Corps stated that the operation successfully integrated drones, electronic warfare, ground robots, and infantry into a single system to capture Shandryholove. President Zelenskyy acknowledged new advances on the Lyman front following a briefing by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Meanwhile, both Ukrainian and Russian armies are massing troops for subsequent battles further south.
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- ✓ Ukraine recaptured the settlements of Nove, Ridkodub, Katerynivka, Karpivka, and Novomykhailivka on the Lyman axis as part of the Vivaldi operation.
- ✓ The capture of Shandryholove near Lyman relied on drones, electronic warfare, ground robots, and infantry operating as a single system.
- ✓ Ukrainian troops achieved new gains on the Lyman front in the Donetsk region as part of Operation Vivaldi, which were noted in a statement by Zelenskyy following a report by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
What changed
The Third Army Corps reported the liberation of five specific settlements on the Lyman axis, accompanied by newly reported territorial gains of 51 square kilometers.
Live updates
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Ukraine Expands Lyman Gains With Five More Liberated Settlements
Ukrainian forces secured five additional settlements along the Lyman axis during Operation Vivaldi, expanding recent territorial gains. The Third Army Corps stated that the operation successfully integrated drones, electronic warfare, ground robots, and infantry into a single system to capture Shandryholove. President Zelenskyy acknowledged new advances on the Lyman front following a briefing by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Meanwhile, both Ukrainian and Russian armies are massing troops for subsequent battles further south.
Why it matters
Russia's 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies spent twenty months grinding toward Lyman, a strategic city in eastern Ukraine situated on a critical road and railway juncture. The ongoing offensive demonstrates how unmanned systems can support an entire military operation rather than just individual strikes. Ukrainian units continue to push forward while both sides prepare for upcoming engagements.
What is confirmed
- Ukraine recaptured the settlements of Nove, Ridkodub, Katerynivka, Karpivka, and Novomykhailivka on the Lyman axis as part of the Vivaldi operation.
- The capture of Shandryholove near Lyman relied on drones, electronic warfare, ground robots, and infantry operating as a single system.
- Ukrainian troops achieved new gains on the Lyman front in the Donetsk region as part of Operation Vivaldi, which were noted in a statement by Zelenskyy following a report by the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
Still unconfirmed
- The villages of Ridkodub, Nove, and Katerynivka were liberated amid newly-reported territorial gains of 51 square kilometers.
What to watch next
- Clashes as both Ukrainian and Russian armies mass troops for subsequent battles further south.
- Official updates from the Third Army Corps regarding the integration of ground robots and unmanned systems in upcoming engagements.
confidence 95%Sources used for this update (6)
- defencematters.eu — Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi Shows How Robots Are Rewriting ...
- www.twz.com — Inside Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi That Sees Its Troops ...
- mwi.westpoint.edu — An Overture to Victory: Operation Vivaldi and Ukraine’s Path ...
- ukrainetoday.org — Operation “Vivaldi” Has Yielded New Results – Ukraine Today .org
- gwaramedia.com — Ukraine recaptures 5 settlements on Lyman axis as part of Vivaldi operation, 3rd Army Corps reports
- www.yahoo.com — Ukraine's Operation Vivaldi liberates 3 more settlements ...
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Ukraine Recaptures 125 Sq Km in Donbas via Operation Vivaldi
Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps recaptured 125 sq km in the Donetsk region during Operation Vivaldi, pushing Russian forces back around Lyman. The offensive liberated the settlements of Shandryholove and Derylove. A Ukrainian commander stated the operation aims to secure stronger defensive positions, while a Dutch analyst noted it thwarted a Russian attempt to encircle fortified Donbas cities. Following these gains, both Ukrainian and Russian armies are massing troops for subsequent battles further south.
Why it matters
The Lyman sector is a critical point in the Donbas region. This counteroffensive utilizes new forms of offensive maneuver and tank deployments to shift the frontline. The operation follows a strategy of deceiving Russian forces to achieve breakthroughs.
What is confirmed
- Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps recaptured 125 sq km in the Donetsk region during Operation Vivaldi.
- Ukrainian forces liberated the settlements of Shandryholove and Derylove in the Donetsk region.
- Operation Vivaldi pushed Russian forces back around Lyman in the Donbas.
- Both Ukrainian and Russian armies are massing troops for battles further south.
Still unconfirmed
- Operation Vivaldi thwarted a Russian attempt to encircle fortified Donbas cities.
- The operation aims to secure stronger defensive positions.
What to watch next
- Movement of massed troops toward the southern battle zones
- Further territorial gains or Russian counter-attacks in the Lyman sector
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (15)
- mickryan.substack.com — Ukraine Builds New Forms of Offensive Manoeuvre
- Newsweek — Map Shows Scale of Ukraine’s New Battlefield Gains in Major Counteroffensive
- Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) — Ukraine Advances: The Tank Isn’t Finished Yet
- Ukrinform — Operation Vivaldi aims to secure stronger defensive positions, Ukrainian commander says
- Ukrinform — Dutch analyst assesses Operation Vivaldi, which thwarted Russia's attempt to encircle fortified Donbas ci
- Institute for the Study of War — Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 17, 2026
- Ukrinform — Operation Vivaldi: Third Army Corps shows strikes on Russian targets in Lyman sector
- Meduza — Ukraine’s ‘Operation Vivaldi’ pushed Russian forces back around Lyman in the Donbas. Now both armies are massing troops for the next battles farther south.
- Yahoo — How Ukraine scored major frontline breakthrough by fooling Russia
- UNITED24 Media — Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps Shares Combat Footage From Operation Vivaldi Counteroffensive
- Ukrinform — Ukrainian Defense Forces liberate Shandryholove and Derylove in Donetsk region — Biletskyi
- The Kyiv Independent — Ukraine reveals new Operation Vivaldi gains in Donetsk Oblast
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