Ukraine conducts secret Operation Vivaldi in Donetsk region

The Ukrainian military has conducted a large-scale, secretive counteroffensive known as “Operation Vivaldi” in the Lyman sector of the Donetsk region. According to reports, the operation resulted in the liberation of 277 square kilometers of territory and 16 settlements by mid-October.

Executed by brigades under the Third Army Corps, the mission aimed to secure defensive positions ahead of winter and protect remaining strongholds in Donbas. The operation faced significant challenges, particularly dense Russian minefields, which a battalion commander from the 66th Mechanized Brigade noted caused approximately 80 percent of Ukrainian casualties.

To bypass Russian positions and avoid detection by thermal imaging drones, Ukrainian soldiers employed specialized infantry tactics. Small groups moved at night, up to five kilometers behind Russian lines, using thermal blankets to mask their heat signatures. To prevent Russian reconnaissance drones from detecting ambushes, soldiers reportedly covered the bodies of fallen Russian combatants with branches and leaves.