Ukraine Says It Recaptures 51 Square Kilometres in New Donetsk Offensive

Ukraine says its forces have recaptured another 51 square kilometres of territory from Russian troops in northern Donetsk, as Kyiv attempts to disrupt Russia’s advance toward key cities in eastern Ukraine.

Ukraine’s Third Army Corps says its forces have regained control of another 51 square kilometres (20 square miles) of territory in northern Donetsk during the latest phase of an ongoing counteroffensive.

The claim was announced on Monday by Brigadier-General Andrii Biletskyi, who has commanded Ukrainian operations in the area since last month.

The operation, known as Operation Vivaldi, is focused on the Lyman area of northern Donetsk and is intended to disrupt Russian efforts to advance toward Ukraine’s eastern defensive positions.

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According to Biletskyi, the latest gains bring the total area Ukraine says it has retaken during the operation to 176 square kilometres (68 square miles). Ukrainian forces also reported taking three additional settlements and restoring control over two others. 

Five Settlements Reportedly Reclaimed

Ukraine’s Third Army Corps said its troops liberated Nove, Ridkodub and Katerynivka, while Ukrainian control was restored over Karpivka and Novomykhailivka.

Biletskyi said Nove was the main objective of the latest phase and described the settlement as an important Russian hub in the area.

The Ukrainian commander also said Russian forces had been led to believe that Ukraine’s main attack would come along another section of the front. According to his account, this caused Russian forces to concentrate reserves there while Ukrainian troops focused their main assault elsewhere.

The battlefield claims, including the reported Russian losses, have not been independently verified. 

Why Northern Donetsk Matters

Donetsk has been one of the main battlegrounds of Russia’s war against Ukraine. Russian forces have continued trying to advance toward important Ukrainian-held cities, while Ukraine has attempted to slow or disrupt those movements.

Reuters reported that Russia’s overall territorial gains have slowed this year, although Russian troops continue to pressure Ukrainian positions from the south and have been infiltrating parts of Kostiantynivka, an important city in the eastern Donetsk region. 

Ukraine currently controls part of Donetsk, while Russia claims the entire region as part of its territorial objectives. Control of the region has also been a central issue in discussions over a possible negotiated settlement.

Those negotiations have so far stalled, although the United States has pushed for talks to resume. 

Operation Vivaldi

Ukraine publicly confirmed Operation Vivaldi earlier this month after Ukrainian forces began making gains in the area.

The operation has involved attempts to disrupt Russian infiltration positions and logistics around the Lyman sector.

Earlier phases reportedly resulted in Ukrainian forces regaining control of additional settlements. With the latest 51-square-kilometre claim, Ukraine says the total territory retaken during the operation has reached 176 square kilometres. 

The Institute for the Study of War, a US-based research organization that monitors the conflict, has assessed that the Ukrainian operation has disrupted Russia’s efforts to carry out a wider encirclement of Ukraine’s eastern “fortress belt.” 

Ukraine’s Wider Counteroffensive Efforts

The reported gains in northern Donetsk come after another Ukrainian counteroffensive earlier this year in southeastern Ukraine.

Kyiv said that operation resulted in more than 700 square kilometres of territory being retaken over several months. That figure, like other battlefield claims made by both sides, has not been independently verified in full. 

The latest developments show that fighting remains intense along parts of the eastern front despite broader diplomatic efforts to end the war.

For now, Ukraine’s reported gains in northern Donetsk represent a significant battlefield development, while Russian forces continue their efforts to maintain pressure across the region.