Ukrainian forces retake two more villages near Lyman

Ukrainian forces recaptured the villages of Shandryholove and Derylove in the Lyman region of Donetsk Oblast, according to battlefield monitoring project DeepState. These victories occurred on September 20, following a series of advances in the region. The Ukrainian offensive, known as Operation Vivaldi, has been ongoing since earlier in the month, with the Third Army Corps confirming the liberation of Serednie on September 15.

The Third Army Corps chief of staff, Petro Horbatenko, stated that Ukrainian troops continued the offensive operations and made further gains, though some details about the newly liberated settlements were withheld for operational security. In addition to Shandryholove and Derylove, Ukrainian forces cleared areas around Novoselivka, Yarova, Oleksandrivka, and Korovii Yar.

Brig. Gen. Andrii Biletskyi, the Third Army Corps commander, announced Operation Vivaldi on September 15, focusing on northern Donetsk Oblast around Lyman and the approaches to Sloviansk-Kramatorsk. During the first phase, Ukrainian troops cleared 75 square kilometers of territory and retook 10 square kilometers, with Russian losses estimated at around 1,500 personnel, over 12,000 drones, and numerous pieces of armored vehicles and artillery systems.

Ukrainian forces also targeted Russian logistics networks, contributing to the withdrawal of elite Rubikon drone units from the Lyman-Borova sector.