Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps Recaptures 125 Sq Km in "Operation Vivaldi" in Donetsk Region

Ukraine's Third Army Corps has taken full control of Drobysheve and liberated the settlements of Shandryholove and Derylove as part of its ongoing Operation Vivaldi offensive, according to a statement posted online.

The advance was announced by Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the Third Army Corps, in a post on the unit's Telegram channel on September 20.

"During assault operations, drones and unmanned ground vehicles always move ahead of the infantry," Biletskyi noted. He claimed the corps had set a global precedent in robotic warfare:

"The Third Army Corps was the first in the world to begin air-deploying ground robotic systems. Our heavy bomber drones deliver suicide ground drones more than 10 kilometers into the enemy's rear."

Across the first two seasons of Vivaldi, the corps and attached units have returned 125 square kilometers to Ukrainian control, 50 of which were de-occupied, according to the statement.

The post reported another 800 Russian troops killed in the latest phase, putting total losses across both seasons above 3,000 personnel. Biletskyi added that the corps continues to grind down the offensive potential of three Russian armies at once — the 20th, 25th, and 1st Tank.

Artillery and unmanned systems struck a range of Russian targets, the corps stated:

• command posts;

• communication nodes;

• logistics and supply lines;

• river crossings;

• enemy reserves.

Air defense and electronic warfare units formed a protective dome over the combat zone, according to the post. Blinded, Russian forces failed to detect the operation's design as Ukrainian units consolidated on liberated ground.

Unmanned ground vehicles have become a central instrument in Ukraine's assault tactics, taking on roles once assigned to infantry.

The platforms range from logistics carriers to remotely operated weapons systems and one-way suicide machines. By air-dropping them deep behind Russian lines, Ukrainian forces can strike rear-area positions while keeping soldiers out of the most exposed ground.

Read more

Category

War in Ukraine

Ukraine 3rd Army "Protecting Dome" Disrupted More Than 20,000 Russian Drone During Operation Vivaldi

Sep 16, 2026 14:16

The corps credited the second season's success to formations including the 60th Separate Mechanized Brigade, the 21st KRAKEN regiment, the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR) special unit Artan, and the DOZOR mobile border detachment, among others.

Biletskyi signaled more gains ahead. "The music of Vivaldi continues," he wrote, adding that further news would come soon.

The latest advances extend Operation Vivaldi's opening phase. In its first season, the corps cleared 75 square kilometers of Russian infiltration positions in the northern Donetsk region and retook Novoselivka, Oleksandrivka, Yarova, and the outskirts of Korovyi Yar.

That phase also liberated Serednie and dealt a heavy blow to Russia's 20th and 25th Combined Arms Armies, which lost around 1,500 personnel, more than 12,000 drones, and hundreds of armored vehicles and artillery systems.

Help Ukrainian Units Hold the Drone Line

Download APP