Ukraine Thwarts Russian Encirclement With Operation Vivaldi
The Armed Forces of Ukraine recaptured eastern territory and inflicted record Russian casualties through Operation Vivaldi, stalling Moscow's strategic goals in the Donetsk region.
Russian territorial gains in Ukraine slowed significantly in 2026, with the Institute for the Study of War reporting only 46 square miles captured through October, a sharp decline from 2025. The Armed Forces of Ukraine countered this momentum with Operation Vivaldi, a monthslong offensive beginning in May. Utilizing the Third Army Corps, Ukraine retook 107 square miles and 16 settlements around Lyman, thwarting a Russian pincer movement intended to encircle cities in the Donetsk region.
Ukrainian forces employed a midrange strike campaign using FPV drones and remote-controlled vehicles to paralyze Russian logistics and communications. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russia suffered 54,000 casualties in October alone, the highest monthly total of the war, while the Third Army Corps claimed to have wiped out Russia's 144th Motor Rifle Division. In response to these setbacks, Russian forces shifted to costly frontal assaults on the town of Dobropillia.
Beyond the battlefield, Russia intensified long-range strikes on energy infrastructure, including an attack in Komyshuvakha that killed at least 50 people. Simultaneously, Ukraine targeted eight Russian refineries to disrupt energy exports and undermine a deal between Donald Trump and Russia to sell 1.8 million tonnes of diesel. This transaction faced legal hurdles in the United States, as Senator Richard Blumenthal warned that the Lindsey Graham Act empowers sanctions on Russian oil buyers despite presidential invitations to trade.
