Donbas

Ukraine says its forces have captured three more villages in the Donbas region as its Operation Vivaldi offensive continues, according to a report by TVP World. The claim suggests Kyiv is maintaining momentum in its push against Russian positions in the east, though the report gives no further detail on casualties, timing or independent confirmation of the territorial gains.

Roughly 250 Russian soldiers have surrendered to Ukrainian forces in the northern Donbas as part of what Ukrainian military commentator Yuriy Ponomarenko calls Operation Vivaldi. If confirmed, the mass capitulation would be one of the larger POW takings of the war and a sign of mounting pressure on Russian positions in the sector. The claim is circulating widely on Russian-language channels, with debate over how the surrender unfolded and what it means for the front line.

Ukraine's 3rd Army Corps says around 250 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner north of Lyman, in the Donbas region, where a limited Ukrainian offensive has overwhelmed Russian defenses in recent weeks. If confirmed, it would be the largest mass surrender of Russian troops since spring 2022, marking a notable battlefield development in the war.

A sarcastic joke about the Ukraine war is making the rounds: that Russia can 'keep Donbass' while Ukraine keeps 'the whole of Donbas'. The punchline is that these are the same thing — Donbas in its entirety, as internationally recognised before 2014, belongs to Ukraine — so the deal means Ukraine regains all occupied territory along the 1991 borders.

Ukraine has launched an unexpected counterattack that has set back Russian President Vladimir Putin's goals in the Donbas region, according to Bloomberg. The offensive has disrupted Moscow's push to consolidate control over eastern Ukraine, forcing Russian forces to divert resources and slowing their advance. Observers are watching closely to see whether Kyiv can build on the momentum.

Reports are circulating that Ukraine has deployed a powerful secret weapon in the Donbas, which is being credited with a wave of mass surrenders by Russian soldiers. The claims suggest the weapon has significantly weakened Russian positions in the region, prompting troops to capitulate in large numbers. Independent verification of the weapon's existence and its role in the surrenders has not been confirmed.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia's President Vladimir Putin is not seeking only control of the Donbas region but aims to take all of Ukraine. The warning comes as fighting continues and international attention focuses on possible negotiations, with Zelensky urging allies not to be misled by claims that Moscow's ambitions are limited to eastern Ukraine.

A Ukrainian drone entered the airspace of Russian-occupied Donetsk, flying over the Donbas Arena stadium before striking a Russian military target near the city's railway station. The strike highlights Ukraine's ability to reach targets deep inside occupied territory, and the symbolic flight over the emblematic stadium has drawn wide attention online.

The New York Times reports on emergency workers in two besieged Ukrainian cities in the Donbas, where rescuers continue to pull civilians from strikes and keep basic services running under constant attack. The report highlights how these 'fortress cities' endure through the work of emergency crews facing danger daily.

A Ukrainian drone flew over the temporarily occupied city of Donetsk, passing above the Donbas Arena stadium before striking a Russian military target near the railway station. Ukrinform reported the attack, highlighting Kyiv's continued ability to reach targets deep inside occupied territory. The strike underscores the growing use of long-range drones in the war and the pressure on Russian positions in the Donetsk region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin's ambitions extend to conquering all of Ukraine, not merely the Donbas region in the country's east. The statement comes as debate continues over whether territorial concessions could end the war, with Zelensky pushing back against any framing that would treat Donbas as the limit of Moscow's goals. It underscores Kyiv's argument that any deal short of security guarantees would only invite further Russian advances.

The New York Times is reporting on daily life in Ukraine's so-called fortress cities — heavily fortified urban strongholds in the east that Russia has spent months trying to capture. The report describes how residents survive under constant shelling and dwindling services while Ukrainian defenders hold the lines. Readers are sharing and discussing the piece as fighting continues around cities such as Pokrovsk and others in the Donbas region.