Ukraine Claws Back Land in the Donbas, Thwarting a Russian Push
- In September, Russia recorded its largest net territorial loss since June 2023, with Russian-controlled territory in Ukraine shrinking by approximately 190 square kilometers, according to Finland-based Black Bird Group.
- Operation Vivaldi, a Ukrainian counteroffensive in northern Donetsk, reclaimed settlements and disrupted Russian encirclement attempts around Lyman, Sloviansk, and Kramatorsk. Ukraine's Army Corps severed Moscow's logistical routes, forcing unit redeployments.
- Russian military bloggers blamed a culture of "beautiful reports" for misleading commanders about battlefield realities. Russian forces suffered more than 46,000 casualties during September while the first three phases captured approximately 250 troops, according to Ukrainian officials.
- Ukraine's expanded drone capabilities and strike systems created a "kill zone," rendering Moscow's traditional mechanized assaults increasingly ineffective. Russian commanders shifted tactics toward small infantry group infiltrations to maintain pressure in southern Donbas.
- Despite Russia raising its defense budget roughly 40% to approximately 17 trillion rubles, Moscow has failed to achieve breakthroughs needed to encircle Donbas cities. The projected budget deficit has climbed to over 7 trillion rubles, intensifying economic pressure.
17 Articles
17 Articles
Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly said that Russian forces will soon establish full control over Donbas. However, recent trends on the battlefield show a different picture, writes The New York Times, reports News.bg. The Ukrainian counteroffensive in the northern part of Donbas has been going on for several months and has thwarted Russian attempts to encircle the cities in the region that are still under Ukrainian control. Accordin…
Ukraine is reclaiming the lands in the Donbas, hindering the Russian offensive - NYRussia in September almost did not expand the captured territories. Operation Vivaldi is holding back the offensive and has already returned part of the land to Ukraine.
The Russian military is pressing on the front, but has no major successes to show for it this year. On the contrary, it has lost ground in the important Donetsk region, according to the think tank ISW. At the same time, however, air strikes against Ukraine have intensified. – Russia is not going anywhere at the moment, says Johan Huovinen at the Finnish National Defence University.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 70% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
