Russian troops 'blinded' by air defense: Ukraine reveals details of Donetsk offensive
Ukraine's counteroffensive in Donetsk region advances due to effective air defense operations (photo: Getty Images)
Air defense units of the Third Army Corps shot down many Russian reconnaissance drones during Operation Vivaldi.
How air defense blinded Russians
Systematic destruction of Russia's reconnaissance drones and the creation of a unified radar field allowed Ukrainian forces to seize the initiative in the skies.
Deprived of their "eyes" and battlefield situational awareness, Russian troops reported to their commanders that they were holding positions that Ukrainian assault troops had already captured.
Maneuvers and offensive
The destruction of reconnaissance drones allowed Ukrainian forces to employ mechanized assault tactics under the cover of interceptor UAV crews.
While Russian forces operated blindly, assault groups and armored vehicles of Ukraine's Third Army Corps maneuvered covertly, quickly broke through defenses, and advanced.
Air defense units of #Ukraine's Third Army Corps brought down a large number of #Russia's UAVs during Operation #Vivaldi season I pic.twitter.com/WhiOeEvaLr
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) September 18, 2026
The success of the operation was made possible by the joint efforts of the following units:
- 1030th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment Aquila
- Air defense units of the 66th Mechanized Brigade, 3rd Assault Brigade, 125th Heavy Mechanized Brigade and 60th Mechanized Brigade
- Pilots of the 3rd Border Guard Detachment.
Stunning videos from the Third Army Corps' warriors show the destruction of Russian reconnaissance drones and the establishment of a unified radar field that allowed #Ukraine to fully seize the initiative in the skies pic.twitter.com/MWYuF7V9aa
— RBC-Ukraine (@NewsUkraineRBC) September 18, 2026
Ukraine's counteroffensive in Donetsk region
As previously reported, Operation Vivaldi to liberate the Donetsk region has already produced its first results.
In particular, Ukrainian forces drove Russian troops out of the village of Serednie without casualties, completely clearing and taking control of the settlement.
The Defense Forces also liberated an area larger than that of Ukraine's city of Zhytomyr. During the fighting, Ukrainian troops eliminated concealed enemy forces and established a foothold for a further offensive in the region.
According to ISW analysts, the Defense Forces also improved their positions in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions.
Moreover, Ukrainian troops pushed Russian forces back near Kupiansk and disrupted several of their new offensive operations.
