Ukraine pushes Russia back in Donetsk as military, civilian casualties soar

What is Ukraine's “Operation Vivaldi,” and what did it achieve around Lyman?

Operation Vivaldi is Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the Donetsk region. Its purpose is to retake occupied ground and disrupt Russia’s plans to advance toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. The operation matters because it has reversed Russian gains in an area Moscow hoped to use as a launch point.

Ukraine reclaimed 175 square kilometres around Lyman this year. Ukrainian forces built reserves there before attacking. They also struck Russian ammunition, fuel, air-defence systems, and distant targets, weakening the support behind frontline operations.

The gains are significant but incomplete. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the operation was successful, while Russian-aligned sources acknowledged that Ukraine had retaken villages west of Kryva Luka. Russia now must defend positions it once held instead of concentrating fully on its own offensive.

How much territory has Ukraine reclaimed, and where are the key areas of fighting?

Ukraine’s counteroffensive has reclaimed 175 square kilometres, or 67 square miles, of previously occupied land around Lyman. The gains are concentrated in the eastern Donetsk region, where Russian forces have retreated from several settlements and are defending positions they once firmly held.

The fighting is focused south of Lyman and around villages west of Kryva Luka. Kryva Luka sits east of Sloviansk, on high ground beside the Siversky-Donets River. Russian-aligned sources acknowledged that Ukraine had moved closer by retaking settlements along this route.

The area matters because Lyman was intended as a springboard for attacks on Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. Ukraine’s progress has made a Russian assault on Sloviansk seem more distant. The exact frontline remains active, and Zelenskyy said Operation Vivaldi is not finished.

Why are Lyman, Kryva Luka, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk strategically important?

These locations form part of the battle for control in eastern Donetsk. Lyman is important because Russia wanted to capture it as a springboard for a full-scale offensive against Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, known in the article as the “fortress belt” cities.

Kryva Luka lies east of Sloviansk on high ground along the Russian-held right bank of the Siversky-Donets River. That position could provide a base for counterattacks farther east. Ukraine’s recapture of settlements west of Kryva Luka has brought the battle closer to this important point.

Sloviansk and Kramatorsk remain central objectives in the wider campaign. Ukraine’s advance around Lyman forces Russia to defend earlier positions and spend resources restoring control. As a result, the possibility of a Russian assault on Sloviansk is receding into the future.

What happens to Russia's wider offensive plans when it must defend positions it previously captured?

When Russia must defend positions it previously captured, its wider offensive loses momentum. Units, ammunition, fuel, and command attention are redirected toward holding or restoring the frontline. This limits the resources available for new attacks and gives Ukraine more time to organize counterattacks.

Rybar, a Kremlin-aligned channel, said Ukrainian successes near Lyman were driving attacks east of Sloviansk. Russian troops were forced to defend earlier positions rather than develop their own offensive. Rybar also said premature Russian claims about captured villages helped Ukraine prepare counterattacks.

The immediate consequence is a delayed Russian threat to Sloviansk. Russia had hoped to use Lyman as a springboard toward the city and Kramatorsk. Instead, Ukraine’s operation has made a direct assault on Sloviansk appear more distant, although Zelenskyy said the counteroffensive remains incomplete.

How large are the military and civilian casualties described in the article, and why do Ukrainian, Russian, and independent estimates differ?

The article describes severe military and civilian losses. Ukraine reported 46,230 Russian casualties in September, including 33,087 confirmed kills. It counted 1,545,950 Russian dead and wounded across the full-scale invasion. Civilian deaths included 22 people in Pryluky, at least two in Kyiv, two in Oleksandria, and at least 30 in Kramatorsk.

The figures come from different sources using different approaches. Ukraine’s military provides casualty estimates and battlefield claims. Russian President Vladimir Putin and his generals claimed Russia captured 1,300 square kilometres in September. The Institute for the Study of War, using geolocated open-source data, instead said Russia lost 80 square kilometres.

These competing figures should not be treated as identical measurements. The article presents wartime claims alongside independent territorial analysis. It also reports that Russian casualties reached a 2026 record, while civilian suffering increased as bombing intensified.

How are drones, missiles, F-16s, and air-defence systems changing the way Russia attacks and Ukraine responds?

The article describes a fast-moving contest between Russian strike systems and Ukrainian air defence. Russia increasingly uses drones, including jet-powered Geran-4 and Geran-5 models, alongside cruise missiles and ballistic weapons. Ukraine is responding with air-defence systems and F-16 fighter jets.

On October 7, Russia launched 130 drones and 48 cruise missiles across 12 regions, plus ballistic missiles. Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence also said its campaign hit a record number of Russian air-defence assets and targets more than 50 kilometres away in September. Ukrainian intelligence said some drones use satellites, inertial navigation, and landmark-reading cameras.

That combination is intended to make attacks more accurate, while F-16s provide an additional defence layer. Zelenskyy said they destroy 50 to 60 percent of drone attacks. Russia’s continued bombing is causing civilian deaths, while Ukraine is trying to disrupt the supplies and systems supporting those attacks.

What is a counteroffensive, and why do controlling terrain, supply routes, bridges, and ammunition flows matter in a modern war?

A counteroffensive is a military operation that seeks to regain territory and initiative after an enemy has advanced. It matters because modern armies depend on positions, roads, river crossings, fuel, ammunition, and communications. Controlling useful terrain can improve observation and defence, while controlling bridges and routes can restrict an opponent’s movement.

The article illustrates this around Lyman and Kryva Luka. Ukraine built reserves near Lyman, reclaimed 175 square kilometres, and disrupted Russian ammunition and fuel flows. Kryva Luka’s high ground beside the Siversky-Donets River could support attacks farther east. Russia’s supply and air-defence systems also became Ukrainian targets.

These actions can force an army to defend rather than attack. Russia was reportedly spending resources restoring control over earlier positions. In turn, Ukraine gained time and space to continue Operation Vivaldi, although Zelenskyy said the operation remained incomplete and the fighting continued.

Key Facts:

📌 Operation Vivaldi reclaimed 175 square kilometres around Lyman.

📌 Ukraine built reserves in the Lyman area before counterattacking.

📌 Zelenskyy described the operation as successful but incomplete.

📌 Ukraine reclaimed 175 square kilometres around Lyman.

📌 Kryva Luka is a key emerging battle area.

📌 Sloviansk and Kramatorsk are Russia’s wider offensive targets.

📌 Lyman was intended as a springboard toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk.