Ukrainian forces drive Russian troops out of Serednie in Donetsk region without losses
Photo: Ukrainian forces drive Russian troops out of the settlement of Serednie (Getty Images)
Ukrainian forces have completely cleared and taken control of the settlement of Serednie in the Donetsk region. The Vivaldi special operation was carried out without any casualties, according to the commander of the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the 66th Mechanized Brigade.
Preparing for the operation and clearing the high ground
Careful preparatory work preceded the liberation of the settlement.
On the approaches to Serednie, there was a line of dominant heights with key strongpoints. Russian forces had previously captured these positions and used them to control both the approaches and almost the entire settlement.
Ukrainian troops first established a foothold and then systematically cleared each strongpoint. In some areas, soldiers approached undetected, used smoke screens and operated inside the positions wearing gas masks.
Disrupting Russian forces and setting ambushes
After capturing the high ground, Ukrainian forces began clearing the first street in Serednie. Using drones, the soldiers established a logistics system and stockpiled ammunition, food, water and medical supplies in basements they had discovered.
To deceive the enemy, Ukrainian groups set up ambushes inside the settlement. Russian forces moving in for reinforcements or rotations were systematically targeted.
Assault using armored personnel carriers
Two BTR-13 armored personnel carriers and a T-74 tank were used to deliver infantry. Because of heavy rain and impassable terrain, the vehicles could not move out, so the soldiers welded rebar spikes onto the tracks to improve traction.
This made it possible to get up close to the enemy across an impassable section. The enemy had expected an offensive exclusively from the direction of the road, where they had positioned anti-tank weapons.
Instead, the Ukrainian armored vehicles caught the Russian forces off guard by approaching from the opposite direction. They deployed the infantry and then withdrew unhindered.
«Перший наліт на населений пункт — і ми заволоділи вулицею» — комбат про «Вівальді»!
— Третій армійський корпус (@ab3army) September 17, 2026
Увірвалися на підкованій броні з непроїзного напрямку, використали погодні умови як перевагу і зайняли позиції без втрат. Про «бліцкриг» 1-го мехбату 66-ї ОМБр розповідає командир друг Бекон.… pic.twitter.com/Hh68FVPgy7
"When you complete a mission with minimal or no losses at all, that is a level of planning, a level of support and a level of execution. The better we do our job, the more lives of our soldiers we can save," the battalion commander said.
Situation on the front
Ukraine’s Defense Forces have recently achieved some successes in several areas of the front.
In particular, Ukrainian forces managed to improve their positions in Donbas and push Russian troops back near Kupiansk, disrupting the new offensive plans of the Russian army.
In addition, as part of the large-scale Vivaldi special operation, Ukrainian forces liberated an area in the Donetsk region larger than Zhytomyr.
