Ukraine's military has announced a significant success in its counteroffensive operation, dubbed "Vivaldi," claiming that over 250 Russian troops have surrendered after a daring operation involving robots and "Trojan" armored personnel carriers. The operation, which took place in the eastern Ukrainian region of Donbas, has provided a spark of optimism for Ukraine, which has been facing significant challenges in recent months. According to Ukraine's Third Army Corps, the surrendering Russians were captured after being dropped behind enemy lines and surrounded by Ukrainian forces.
A video shared by Ukraine's Third Army Corps shows dozens of Russian soldiers walking through a forest in single file, forming a long human chain, and being closely guarded by their Ukrainian captors. The video also shows some of the Russian prisoners explaining that they surrendered because they "didn't want to die in vain" and describing the harsh conditions they faced, including eating bark and grass and drinking from puddles after running out of basic provisions. While CNN cannot independently verify the video or Ukrainian claims, some prominent Russian military bloggers have lamented recent Ukrainian advances and demanded answers from the Russian leadership.
The Ukrainian military has been using innovative tactics, including aerial and ground drones and armored personal carriers, as part of Operation Vivaldi. According to Andriy Biletskyi, the commander of the Third Army Corps, Ukrainian military managed to airdrop robotic systems equipped with heavy guns more than 10 kilometers behind Russian lines, allowing them to attack Russian troops from an unexpected direction. These land drones are much harder to spot and intercept than larger military vehicles and can operate in all weather conditions.
In another innovation, the Third Army Corps converted old Soviet-era armored personnel carriers into unmanned kamikaze ground vehicles by stuffing them with explosives and sending them towards Russian fortifications, prompting Ukraine's military to refer to them as "Trojan" tanks. The use of these tactics has allowed Ukraine to recapture nearly 150 square kilometers of territory, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky put the gains made by Vivaldi even higher, saying 176 square kilometers had been recaptured and 5,000 Russian troops either wounded or killed.
The successes of Operation Vivaldi have been noticed in Russia, with prominent pro-Kremlin Russian military bloggers complaining about the "deteriorating" situation. Rybar, one of the most prominent bloggers, has taken to Telegram to say that Russian troops will now be "forced to reorganize their logistics and adjust the pace of their advance on both Slovyansk and Kramatorsk." Russian President Vladimir Putin has expressed his desire to seize Ukraine's eastern Donbas region, but the Vivaldi Operation has raised hopes in Kyiv that Russia may not be capable of taking the rest of the Donbas quickly.
Despite Putin's claims that Europe and Ukraine fear Kyiv can withstand Russia's advances for only another 18-24 months, Western intelligence services estimate Russia is losing some 40,000 troops a month. The ISW has calculated that at their current pace, Russian forces would not take over the rest of the Donbas until 2032 — if they can seize it at all. The past four months have been among the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, with Russia pummeling Ukrainian cities with near non-stop aerial attacks.
The situation on the ground remains dire, with firefighters and medics evacuating injured people after projectiles hit residential buildings in the Kyiv city center. The use of innovative tactics and technology has been crucial for Ukraine's military, allowing them to make gains against Russian forces. As the conflict continues, it remains to be seen how the situation will develop, but for now, Ukraine's military is cautiously optimistic about its chances of success.
Key points
- Ukraine claims to have forced over 250 Russian soldiers to surrender using robots and "Trojan" armored vehicles.
- The Ukrainian military has been using innovative tactics, including aerial and ground drones and armored personal carriers, as part of Operation Vivaldi.
- Western intelligence services estimate Russia is losing some 40,000 troops a month, with the ISW calculating that Russian forces would not take over the rest of the Donbas until 2032.
