Ukraine reclaims territory in Donetsk via Operation Vivaldi

Ukrainian forces are making territorial gains in the eastern Donetsk region through a counteroffensive known as ‘Operation Vivaldi’. The operation has successfully reclaimed approximately 175 square kilometres of land around the town of Lyman.

Reports indicate that Russian forces are retreating from villages south of Lyman, a location Moscow had previously intended to use as a base for offensives against the cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Military analysts suggest that Russian troops are currently being forced to expend resources to defend and restore control over previously occupied positions rather than launching new offensives.

A significant battle is developing for the village of Kryva Luka, located east of Sloviansk on high ground near the Siversky-Donets River. Control of this area could provide a strategic base for further Ukrainian counterattacks to the east. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the operation as successful but noted it remains incomplete.