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.

Live updates

1. 5h ago

   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
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. mickryan.substack.com — Ukraine Builds New Forms of Offensive Manoeuvre
   2. Newsweek — Map Shows Scale of Ukraine’s New Battlefield Gains in Major Counteroffensive
   3. Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) — Ukraine Advances: The Tank Isn’t Finished Yet
   4. Ukrinform — Operation Vivaldi aims to secure stronger defensive positions, Ukrainian commander says
   5. Ukrinform — Dutch analyst assesses Operation Vivaldi, which thwarted Russia's attempt to encircle fortified Donbas ci
   6. Institute for the Study of War — Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, September 17, 2026
   7. Ukrinform — Operation Vivaldi: Third Army Corps shows strikes on Russian targets in Lyman sector
   8. 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.
   9. Yahoo — How Ukraine scored major frontline breakthrough by fooling Russia
   10. UNITED24 Media — Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps Shares Combat Footage From Operation Vivaldi Counteroffensive
   11. Ukrinform — Ukrainian Defense Forces liberate Shandryholove and Derylove in Donetsk region — Biletskyi
   12. The Kyiv Independent — Ukraine reveals new Operation Vivaldi gains in Donetsk Oblast
   confidence 90%