NATO declares readiness amid Ukrainian counteroffensive near Lyman

NATO officials have affirmed the alliance's readiness to respond to potential Russian aggression following warnings from European intelligence agencies. Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone stated in Copenhagen that NATO's structures, soldiers, and weaponry are prepared, noting that military plans for protecting the eastern flank include ‘4,000 pages’ of strategic documentation. This comes amid warnings from officials, such as Czech intelligence chief Michal Koudelka, that escalation could occur within months.

In the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the military is conducting ‘Operation Vivaldi’ northwest of Lyman in the Donetsk region. Led by the 3rd Ukrainian Army Corps, the four-phase operation aims to push back Russian forces and prevent the encirclement of Ukrainian defensive belts. According to Brigadier General Andriy Biletskyi, the operation has resulted in the clearing of 75 square kilometers and the recapture of 50 square kilometers. The offensive has also targeted Russian logistics, including the disabling of a Russian pipeline.