General Andrii Biletsky, commander of Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps, announced on 28/9 that Ukrainian forces had recaptured 176 km2 of territory and captured over 250 Russian soldiers as part of the Vivaldi counteroffensive near Lyman city in Donetsk province. This operation, now in its third phase, saw Ukrainian troops retake five key settlements: Karpivka, Novomykhailivka, Ridkodub, Katerynivka, and Nove.

Nove, a significant Russian center in the area, was crucial for maintaining military initiative due to its surrounding high ground. General Biletsky stated, "This phase marks a turning point in the entire operation. We have retaken an additional 51 km2 of territory, bringing the total area reclaimed since the start of the offensive to 176 km2."

Soldiers believed to be Russian prisoners of war in a video Ukraine's 3rd Corps posted on 28/9. Screenshot

Biletsky reported that Russian forces suffered losses of over 2,000 soldiers during phase three of the Vivaldi operation. His units captured more than 250 Russian prisoners of war, who may be exchanged for Ukrainian prisoners in the future. Images released by Ukraine's 3rd Corps show soldiers believed to be Russian prisoners of war in a forest.

Open-source intelligence from AMK Mapping, an X account tracking conflict data, provided a more detailed count of the captured soldiers. "Based on the provided images, I counted 78 prisoners. The total is estimated to be around 90, including soldiers not visible from these angles," AMK Mapping stated.

Ukrainian forces employed innovative tactics, converting Soviet-era BTR armored personnel carriers into self-destructing unmanned ground vehicles to attack Russian strongholds. Additionally, the Ukrainian military used extensive deception operations to mask the main direction of their assault. This led Russia to believe the primary target was the Shandryholove - Zelena Dolyna area, prompting them to deploy reserves there and allowing Ukraine to concentrate resources elsewhere.

"The main thrust towards Nove surprised the enemy," the commander of Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps confirmed. The Russian Ministry of Defense has not commented on this information.

Area newly controlled by Ukraine (blue in the middle). Graphic: X/AMK Mapping

The Modern War Institute (MWI) at the United States Military Academy at West Point noted that Ukraine's 3rd Corps launched the Vivaldi counteroffensive in May. The operation aimed to halt the advance of Russian forces towards Lyman, a strategic city at the intersection of railway and road lines in Donetsk. Lyman is a crucial logistics hub for Russia to sustain its offensive and encircle a "fortress belt" approximately 50 km long in Donetsk province, which includes Konstantinovka, Druzhkovka, Slovyansk, and Kramatorsk.

The 3rd Corps first disclosed details about Vivaldi on 15/9, emphasizing the operation's maximum information security. Rybar, a social media account linked to the Russian military and often cited as an alternative source for official Moscow statements, acknowledged Ukrainian progress on the Lyman front.

According to the Kyiv Independent, the Vivaldi operation represents a rare offensive success for the Ukrainian military. This achievement comes as Ukraine continues to face significant manpower disadvantages and a large number of unmanned aerial vehicles on the front line.

Pham Giang (Kyiv Post, Kyiv Independent)