Over 250 Russian troops captured: Third Army Corps details phase three of Operation Vivaldi

During the third phase of the Vivaldi military operation, Russian personnel losses reached 2,000 troops, while Ukrainian forces managed to capture over 250 occupiers.

The Third Army Corps reported this on Facebook, according to Rubryka.

"Enemy losses stand at 2,000 personnel, and over 250 Russians were taken prisoner. This concludes the third season of Vivaldi, a turning point for the entire operation," stated Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the Third Army Corps.

According to Biletskyi, the main goal of the operation's third phase was Nove—a key hub for Russian troops in the bridgehead. Biletskyi noted that holding the high ground around this settlement grants control over the initiative across the bridgehead.

"Whoever controls the heights surrounding this settlement holds the initiative in the bridgehead," the Third Army Corps commander stated.

At the same time, according to Biletskyi, Russian forces remained convinced that the main axis of attack would run along the Shandryholove–Zelena Dolyna route. As a result, the corps commander noted that the enemy expended reserves on counterattacks along that specific vector.

"The Russians slept through the real strike, which focused on taking Nove," Biletskyi stated.

To breach enemy defenses, the Third Army Corps used its own development, according to its commander, converting Soviet BTR-60 armored personnel carriers into robotic kamikaze platforms. Ukrainian forces deployed them to blow up the strongest Russian fortifications.

Biletskyi also reported that Russian troops surrendered in whole units during the operation, with prisoners including officers, pilots, and artillerists.

^{Photo source: Video screenshot}

"Russians surrendered in entire units along with officers, pilots, and artillerists," noted the Third Army Corps commander.

As previously reported, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi recently announced "important results" for Ukrainian forces on the Lyman axis in the Donetsk region as part of Operation Vivaldi.

He also reported successes by Air Assault Forces units during another active defense operation.

Background

As previously reported, Third Army Corps Commander Andrii Biletskyi stated that during the second phase of the counteroffensive, Ukrainian troops liberated the settlements of Shandryholove and Derylove, and Drobysheve also came under Ukrainian control.

During the first and second seasons of offensive Operation Vivaldi, the Third Army Corps and attached units returned 125 square kilometers of territory to Ukrainian control, de-occupying 50 square kilometers of it.

On September 15, Third Army Corps Commander Andrii Biletskyi confirmed a counteroffensive in northern Donetsk region, code-named Vivaldi. During its first phase, Ukrainian military forces cleared 75 square kilometers.

Reports also noted that during Operation Vivaldi, Ukrainian service members air-dropped ground robotic platforms behind Russian army lines for the first time.

Additionally, defenders deployed ground robotic complexes for demining, to support assault actions, and to maintain frontline logistics. On the Shandryholove axis, robots cleared 30 kilometers of routes without a single casualty among combat engineers.

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