Ukraine Retakes More Ground in Northern Donetsk as Russian Offensive Loses Momentum

Ukrainian forces have reported fresh territorial gains in northern Donetsk, with Kyiv saying its troops have recaptured another 51 square kilometres as part of a counteroffensive designed to disrupt Russia’s efforts to advance toward some of Ukraine’s most important eastern cities.

The latest gains were announced by Brigadier-General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of Ukraine’s Third Army Corps, which is leading the operation known as “Vivaldi.” According to the Ukrainian military, the latest phase brought three settlements, Nove, Ridkodub and Katerynivka, back under Ukrainian control, while Ukrainian forces also restored control over Karpivka and Novomykhailivka. The corps says the operation has now recovered a total of 176 square kilometres in northern Donetsk.

The figures are Ukrainian military claims and, as with many battlefield announcements, the full extent of the changes cannot be independently verified in real time. Ukraine has also claimed that Russian forces suffered around 2,000 casualties and that more than 250 Russian soldiers were captured during the latest phase. Those casualty figures have not been independently confirmed.

The significance of the operation extends beyond the territory involved. The fighting is concentrated around the Lyman area, north of the major Ukrainian defensive belt that includes Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostiantynivka. Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War have assessed that Ukrainian counterattacks in the area have disrupted Russia’s attempt to create a broad encirclement of those cities from the north.

That matters because Moscow has been trying to advance toward the Donetsk “fortress belt” from several directions. Russian forces have continued pressure from the south around Kostiantynivka and other sectors while attempting to maintain positions that could eventually support a wider advance toward Sloviansk and Kramatorsk. The Ukrainian operation north of Lyman has complicated that approach by reducing the Russian salient that threatened Ukraine’s northern flank.

The broader picture, however, is more complicated than a simple Ukrainian battlefield breakthrough. Reuters reports that Russia’s overall rate of advance along the front has slowed this year, but Russian troops are still applying pressure around Kostiantynivka and have maintained offensive activity in other parts of Donetsk. The front therefore remains fluid, with advances and counterattacks occurring in different sectors rather than a decisive shift across the entire battlefield.

Independent battlefield assessments also point to a changing balance of momentum. The Institute for the Study of War says Ukrainian forces have increasingly contested the initiative during 2026 and have carried out successful counterattacks in several directions, including Lyman. At the same time, the assessment records continued Russian advances around Kostiantynivka and east of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, underscoring that Moscow retains offensive capabilities despite the slower overall pace.

The fighting is taking place alongside continued Russian strikes across Ukraine. The Associated Press reported this week that Russian drone attacks killed at least seven people and wounded more than 80 in several Ukrainian cities, while damaging residential and civilian infrastructure. Ukraine has continued its own long-range strikes against targets inside Russia, including energy and defence-related infrastructure.

The Donetsk battlefield also carries diplomatic importance. Russia has continued to demand control of the entire Donetsk region as part of its position in negotiations, while Ukraine retains control of a portion of the region. Reuters reported that roughly one-fifth of Donetsk remains under Ukrainian control, making territorial developments there particularly significant to any future discussion over a settlement.

For now, the reported gains around Lyman do not amount to a decisive reversal of the war. But they do illustrate how the battlefield has become increasingly contested after years in which Russian forces generally held the initiative in much of eastern Ukraine. If Ukraine can consolidate the territory it has recovered, protect its supply routes and prevent Russia from rebuilding its northern approach toward the Donetsk fortress belt, Moscow may face a more difficult path toward some of its principal military objectives. The coming weeks will show whether Operation Vivaldi represents a temporary tactical success or part of a broader change in the direction of the fighting.