Ukraine’s ‘Operation Vivaldi’ Frees Three Villages Near Lyman and Shrinks a Russian Salient
Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps says it has liberated Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi and retaken roughly 88–101 km² in the Lyman direction under Operation Vivaldi, with open-source mappers confirming new Ukrainian control lines. The gains cut down a Russian-held bulge north of Lyman and ease pressure on nearby Ukrainian positions.
Ukrainian forces say their advance under “Operation Vivaldi” has broken through several Russian‑held positions north of the city of Lyman, freeing three settlements and reclaiming dozens of square kilometres in one of the key sectors of the eastern front.
On 14 October, Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps announced that its units, together with attached formations, had liberated the settlements of Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi in the Lyman direction. In a public address, corps commander Brig. Gen. Andriy Biletsky said that during the fourth stage of Operation Vivaldi Ukrainian troops had retaken 101 km² of territory and inflicted about 3,000 casualties on Russian forces. Earlier reporting from the same command cited roughly 88 km² regained in this phase, and assessments of the total area recaptured in the wider Lyman sector vary between 125 and 250 km² depending on the source.
The open‑source mapping project DeepState, which tracks frontline changes using imagery and field reports, updated its map to show Ukrainian control over Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi and restored Ukrainian control lines near the localities of Stavky and Shandryholove. DeepState described this as part four of its Lyman “OPSEC release”, noting that most of the advances shown took place earlier and were being published now after a delay for operational security reasons.
Together, the retaken villages sit north and northeast of Lyman, in ground that Russia had used as a buffer and staging area when it held the city and surrounding approaches. Eliminating these positions helps straighten the front and reduces a Russian salient that had pushed into Ukrainian‑held territory in northern Donbas.
For Ukrainian infantry and artillery, the new lines mean that Russian firing points and observation posts that once overlooked key roads are now further from the front or have been abandoned. Shorter distances to the line reduce the time troops and supplies spend under fire during rotations, and villages back under Ukrainian control can be used as logistics nodes and launch sites for drones and other systems once engineers clear mines and explosives.
For Russian units, falling back from Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi means relying on positions that may be less fortified while also stretching supply routes to more distant depots and railheads. The more ground they lose around Lyman, the harder it becomes to use the area as a platform to pressure Ukrainian‑held towns deeper in Donbas.
The Lyman axis matters because it links the road and rail lines that support Russian forces in both Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Gains there, even if local, complicate Moscow’s efforts to reinforce more distant battlefields. Recent mapping reports from other fronts have described Ukrainian gains south of the main defensive line near Vasylivka and renewed pushes through Russian positions around Orikhiv and Preobrazhenka, while Russian troops have pressed west of Zaliznychne near Huliaipole. Upward pressure on Russian manpower and logistics around Lyman adds to those strains.
Operation Vivaldi has advanced in stages rather than rapid breakthroughs, reflecting the density of Russian fortifications and Ukraine’s current preference for step‑by‑step attacks supported by drones and artillery. Ukrainian sources frame the fourth stage, which includes the liberation of these three settlements, as part of a longer contest to shorten and stabilise the front around Lyman.
The practical questions now are whether Ukrainian forces can move from Zelena Dolyna, Lypove and Kolodiazi toward deeper Russian supply hubs, and how Moscow chooses to respond. Signs to watch include any reported Ukrainian gains toward Novoliubivka, Ivanivka or the forests east of Lyman, indications of new Russian reserves arriving in the sector, and further DeepState releases declassifying earlier advances.
Sources
- OSINT