Ukrainian troops have regained more territory previously held by Russia in the northern Donetsk region, a top Ukrainian commander, Brigadier General Andriy Biletsky, was quoted by Reuters as saying on Monday. The operation was aimed at hindering a Russian advance on Ukraine's strategic positions on the eastern front.
Units of the Third Army have returned Ukrainian control over 51 square kilometers, said Biletsky, who has been leading operations in the area since last month. Overall, the operation, codenamed "Vivaldi" So far, Russian forces have taken back 176 sq km north of Donetsk, liberated three more villages and restored Ukrainian control over two more villages, the brigadier general said.
The Washington-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that "Vivaldi" had achieved the "operationally significant" goal of preventing Moscow's forces from encircling the "fortified belt" of Ukrainian cities.
The pace of Russia's overall territorial advance along the front line has slowed this year, but Moscow's forces are exerting pressure on cities to the south and are pushing deeper into the eastern city of Kostyantynivka (Konstantinovka in Russian). The Donetsk region has seen some of the fiercest fighting in the war in Ukraine, which Russia launched on February 24, 2022.
Ukrainian forces still control about 20 percent of the region, with Russia seeking control of all of its territory - Moscow's main territorial demand in the talks, which are currently stalled, Reuters notes, adding that the United States is pushing for them to be renewed.
The gains in Donetsk region announced by Biletsky add to the gains from Ukraine's offensive in the southeast earlier this year. According to information from Kiev, Ukrainian troops have regained more than 700 square kilometers during the months-long counteroffensive.
Meanwhile, Reuters reported that a Russian drone attack on a shopping mall in the southeastern city of Dnipro killed three people, citing information from the Dnipropetrovsk region's military administration today. At least 12 were injured.
On the other hand, a powerful explosion was heard in the center of the Ukrainian capital Kiev today, Reuters reported. According to the city's military administration, this was also a Russian drone attack.