Ukraine retakes ground in a region Russia has fought for years to capture. “Vivaldi” is only getting started but is already “one of the most important victories for Ukraine in 2026”

Ukraine’s Third Army Corps has liberated Shandryholove, Derylove, and Drobysheve in Donetsk Oblast, marking a crucial victory in their "Vivaldi" offensive. This operation, aimed at thwarting Russia's decades-long efforts to seize this Ukrainian-held territory, has already resulted in the control of 125 square kilometers, with an additional 50 square kilometers having been liberated from Russian occupation.

The corps estimates that the offensive has inflicted over 3,000 casualties among Russian forces, including 800 during the most recent phase. Third Army Corps commander Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi revealed that Ukrainian assault groups are backed by drones and unmanned ground vehicles, with heavy bombers delivering kamikaze ground robots over 10 kilometers behind Russian lines.

Supporting Ukrainian forces are artillery, drone units, and air defense and electronic warfare units, all working to disrupt Russian command posts, communications nodes, logistics, crossings, and reserves. Analyst Clément Molin, who has been tracking the offensive using publicly available information, emphasized that this is one of the most important victories for Ukraine in 2026, potentially delaying Russia's offensive on northern Donbas.

Despite the secrecy surrounding the operation, Ukrainian forces continue to expand their gains and expect further developments soon.