UKRAINE, Sep. 21 — During the second phase of the Vivaldi operation, Ukrainian forces returned Shandryholove, Derylove, and Drobysheve settlements in the northern Donetsk oblast, killing 800 Russian soldiers, Andrii Biletskyi, the Commander of the Third Army Corps, said.

According to OSINT analysts from AMK Mapping, Ukrainian troops advanced in this area of the Donetsk oblast more than a month ago.

On Sep. 15, the Ukrainian military reported that they had launched a counteroffensive in the Lyman axis in northern Donetsk oblast, calling this operation Vivaldi.

In total, Ukrainian forces have regained control of 125 square kilometers (48 square miles) of territory, including 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) that have been recaptured. They also killed over 3,000 Russian soldiers during this period.

The Third Corps was the first to deploy ground drones. “Our heavy bombers deliver ground kamikaze drones more than 10 kilometers (6 miles) behind Russian lines,” Biletskyi said.

Biletskyi added that the Ukrainian military used drones to attack Russian command posts, communications hubs, logistics facilities, crossing points, and reserves.

Operation Vivaldi’s goal is to degrade the combat capabilities of Russian forces. The loss of Russian position on the Lyman axis reduced the threat of the city being encircled and eased pressure on Sloviansk, about 22 kilometers (13 miles) southeast of Lyman, as well as on Borova in the Kharkiv oblast, about 25 kilometers (15 miles) north of the reportedly recaptured area.

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