The Third Army Corps of the Armed Forces of Ukraine continues active operations to liberate Ukrainian territories in the Donetsk region. The large-scale military operation codenamed "Vivaldi" has entered its third season, demonstrating serious successes on the frontline and replenishing the prisoner exchange fund with captured Russian servicemen.
Tasks and Progress of the Operation
During the current phase of the operation, fighters of the 3rd Assault Brigade, the 3rd Border Guard Detachment named after Hero of Ukraine Colonel Yevhen Pikus, and the 10th Mobile Border Guard Detachment "DOZOR" faced unprecedented combat intensity. According to the assault group participants, the sky above their positions constantly buzzes with drones, with Russian drones firing chaotically without distinguishing between their own and enemy troops. Advancing forward, Ukrainian troops regularly discover the bodies of Russian soldiers abandoned by their own units, who died from wounds, hunger, and a lack of evacuation before they could surrender.
Large-Scale Clearance of Settlements
Exclusive GoPro footage published by the fighters details the harsh reality of Vivaldi's third season. The videos capture moments of rapid assault groups disembarking from armored vehicles and immediately entering fierce combat. This exact tactic allowed Ukrainian forces to successfully and thoroughly clear the settlements of Nove, Redkodub, Katerynivka, Karpivka, and Novomykhailivka. Experts note that the rapid advance of the AFU in this direction disrupts the enemy's long-term plans to advance on Sloviansk.
Prisoner Testimonies and Contradictory Data
During the active phase of Operation Vivaldi, units of the Third Army Corps captured about 250 Russian servicemen. While speaking with Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky, the prisoners shared grim details of their time on the frontline: the Russian command essentially abandoned them without supply, causing soldiers to suffer massively from hunger and severe dehydration.
Contradictory Data
While official Ukrainian sources and frontline reports confidently declare a turning point in the entire Donetsk campaign and the successful liberation of strategic villages near Lyman, Russian agencies and military bloggers stubbornly attempt to deny the scale of the AFU advance. Propaganda channels claim that Ukrainian assault units are suffering heavy losses and that information about hundreds of prisoners is exaggerated. Nevertheless, documentary GoPro videos from fighters and footage of communication with captured Russian soldiers refute these claims, confirming a genuine improvement in the positions of Ukraine's Defense Forces.
