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Ukraine Retakes 51 Sq Km in Third Phase of Operation Vivaldi, With Russia Losing 2,000 Troops and 250 Captured
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Ukraine’s Third Army Corps has regained 51 square kilometers and five settlements during the third phase of Operation Vivaldi, bringing the total territory retaken in the offensive to 176 square kilometers.
Ukraine’s Third Army Corps liberated the settlements of Nove, Ridkodub, and Katerynivka and restored control over Karpivka and Novomykhailivka during the third phase of Operation Vivaldi.
According to the corps on September 28, Ukrainian forces regained another 51 square kilometers of territory during the latest phase, bringing the total area retaken since the start of its offensive operations to 176 square kilometers.
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The Third Army Corps said Russian forces lost around 2,000 personnel during the operation, while more than 250 Russian troops were taken prisoner. The corps described the third phase, or “season,” of Vivaldi as a turning point in the broader operation.
The main objective of the third phase was Nove, which the corps described as a key Russian hub on the bridgehead. Third Army Corps Commander Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi said control of the surrounding high ground was crucial to maintaining the initiative in the area.
“The enemy was convinced that the main direction of the attack was Shandryholove–Zelena Dolyna. This forced them to senselessly burn through their reserves in counterattacks precisely in this direction. The Russians missed the real strike, which was focused on taking Nove,” Biletskyi said.
According to the corps, Ukrainian forces used modified Soviet-era BTR-60 armored personnel carriers to break through Russian defenses. The vehicles had been converted into remotely operated strike ground systems and were used to destroy heavily fortified Russian positions.
The Third Army Corps also said Russian troops surrendered in groups during the operation, including officers, drone pilots, and artillery personnel.
Operation Vivaldi was announced by Biletskyi on September 15 as a Ukrainian counteroffensive in northern Donetsk region. During its first phase, Ukrainian forces cleared 75 square kilometers of Russian infiltration positions, regained control of several settlements, and reportedly inflicted substantial losses on Russian forces.
The operation has also involved new approaches to the use of unmanned systems. On September 24, the Third Army Corps said it carried out what it described as the first attack of its kind involving unmanned ground vehicles deployed by heavy bomber drones.
According to the corps, heavy bomber drones operated by the Third Assault Brigade carried NC13 strike UGVs, known as “Gryphons,” and deployed them more than 10 kilometers behind Russian lines.
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-8fd3646e8c541c171882373037972f08.png "Russian Geran-5 jet-powered strike drone displayed during Russia’s Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, 2026. (Source: OTS LIVE)")
