{
  "id": 1734484,
  "title": "“Chasing away vipers”: Ukrainian special forces retake Andriivka-Klevtsove, capture 30 Russian soldiers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/chasing-away-vipers-ukrainian-special-forces-retake-andriivka",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T15:02:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euromaidan Press",
    "slug": "euromaidan-press",
    "url": "https://euromaidanpress.com/2026/08/18/ukrainian-special-forces-retake-andriivka-klevtsove/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SOF) have successfully retaken Andriivka-Klevtsove, a settlement on the border between Donetsk and Dnipropetrovsk oblasts, and captured 30 Russian soldiers. This operation is part of Ukraine's broader eight-month counteroffensive on the Oleksandrivka axis, during which Kyiv claims to have recaptured 745 square kilometers and 26 villages across Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. The Russian forces had been infiltrating the area in small groups, attempting to establish positions in the settlement. Ukrainian forces cleared Russian positions and captured the 30 troops, with the rest surrendering and being taken prisoner. Following the capture, Ukrainian forces raised the Ukrainian flag and performed a traditional \"Chasing Away Vipers\" ritual, symbolically cleansing the settlement of the captured Russian forces.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Interfax-Ukraine",
        "title": "Russian shelling forces shutdown of one of DTEK's thermal power plants",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/russian-shelling-forces-shutdown-of-one-of-dteks-thermal-power-plants",
        "published": "2026-08-18T17:32:41.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}