Ukraine says Vivaldi Operation retook 176 square kilometers near Lyman

By Yusuf İnan | Wise News Press

WASHINGTON, USA — Ukraine says its forces have retaken 176 square kilometers near Lyman in Donetsk region, in an operation that underlined the growing role of drones and unmanned ground vehicles on the battlefield.

According to Karar’s report, citing CNBC and security experts, the operation was launched in May under the name “Vivaldi Operation” and was carried out by Ukraine’s Third Army Corps. International reports and Ukrainian official statements also point to the intensive use of drones, remote-controlled ground platforms and rear-line pressure tactics.

Ukraine reports 176 square kilometers retaken

Ukrainian sources say the Vivaldi Operation around Lyman has resulted in the recovery of 176 square kilometers from Russian forces. Reuters reported that Ukrainian commanders described the advance as one of the notable battlefield gains on the eastern front in recent weeks.

The latest stage of the operation reportedly added another 51 square kilometers to Ukrainian control, bringing the total claimed gain to 176 square kilometers. Frontline reporting also indicated that the fighting and advances were concentrated around areas including Nove, Ridkodub, Katerynivka, Karpivka and Novomykhailivka.

Drones and ground robots moved behind Russian lines

One of the most striking aspects of the operation was the combined use of aerial drones and unmanned ground vehicles. Defense analysts say Ukrainian units used drones to support, guide and protect robotic ground platforms operating near or behind Russian positions.

This approach appears to have allowed Ukrainian forces to apply pressure while reducing the need for soldiers to enter some of the most dangerous contact zones. The Institute for the Study of War assessed that Ukraine used deception, rear-area pressure and unmanned platforms as part of the broader operation near Lyman.

Zelensky praised the use of unmanned systems

Ukraine’s presidential office said President Volodymyr Zelensky visited the command post of the Third Army Corps on September 30 and received a briefing on the results of the Vivaldi Operation.

During the visit, Zelensky highlighted the use of unmanned ground systems. He said Ukraine aims, wherever possible, to replace direct human exposure on dangerous missions with robotic systems. Reuters also reported that Zelensky discussed the expanded use of unmanned platforms during his visit near the eastern front line.

Casualty and prisoner figures remain difficult to verify

Ukrainian Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi said on September 28 that Russian forces suffered heavy losses during the latest phase of the operation and that more than 250 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner.

Ukraine’s presidential office also published high Russian casualty figures linked to the operation. However, battlefield casualty and prisoner numbers are often difficult to verify independently, and the figures remain Ukrainian claims unless confirmed by separate sources.

Experts say battlefield methods are changing

Defense expert Patrick Bolder of The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies said Ukraine appeared to prepare the operation through information control, disruption of Russian logistics and pressure on Russian rear positions.

Serhii Kuzan, head of the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Center, said robotic systems are changing how battlefield tasks are conducted. According to this view, missions that once required dozens or even hundreds of soldiers can increasingly be supported by remote-controlled systems, reducing the risks faced by frontline personnel.

A strategic message from the Donbas front

Analysts described the Vivaldi Operation as an important Ukrainian success, while cautioning that it does not by itself represent a decisive turning point in the war.

David Kirichenko, a researcher at the Henry Jackson Society, said the operation sent a message both to Moscow and to Ukraine’s allies: Ukrainian forces can still produce results through innovation, flexible tactics and the integration of unmanned systems.

Russia continues to apply pressure in Donetsk region, particularly toward Kostiantynivka, Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Ukrainian sources argue that Moscow’s broader objectives in the region have been complicated by heavy losses and delays. The fighting around Lyman now stands as another example of how technology, unmanned systems and rear-line operations are becoming increasingly central to the war.

WiseNewsPress.com