Ukraine Launches Vivaldi Offensive to Secure Northern Donetsk

The 3rd Army Corps of Ukraine launched a counter-offensive operation named Vivaldi in the northern Donetsk region to disrupt Russian logistics and protect key strongholds. Brigadier-General Andrii Biletskyi confirmed the operation on September 15, reporting that Ukrainian units cleared 75 square kilometers of Russian infiltration groups and recaptured 10 square kilometers of territory. The offensive resulted in the full recapture of the village of Serednie and the clearing of three other villages.

Operating under a strict regime of information silence since late May 2026, Ukrainian units pushed northward from Lyman toward the villages of Ridkodub, Katerynivka, and Nove. This movement pushed much of Russia's 20th Combined Arms Army back to the Zherebets River, thwarting a Russian plan to envelop the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk agglomeration from the north. While Russian war bloggers described the event as a "rout" and a "tactical defeat," the Russian Defense Ministry has not issued a public comment.

The operation occurs as Russia attempts to seize the entire Donetsk region, specifically targeting the fortress belt of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. The military action coincides with diplomatic efforts by U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, who are visiting Moscow and Kyiv this month to restart stalled negotiations. Despite the tactical success, military experts note that Ukraine remains outnumbered and outgunned, making a broader strategic shift unlikely.