Ukrainian forces begin new offensive in northern Donetsk, commander says
Ukraine has started an offensive operation in the north of the Donetsk region, according to Brigadier-General Andrii Biletskyi.
In a video posted on Telegram, Brigadier-General Andrii Biletskyi said the third army corps has begun an offensive named "Vivaldi" in the northern part of the Donetsk region, a long-standing frontline. He claimed Ukrainian forces cleared 75 square kilometres of Russian infiltration groups and reclaimed another 10 square kilometres, including the village of Serednie, now fully under Ukrainian control. The commander added that the advance disrupted Russian supply lines and involved the clearing of three villages and surrounding areas.
Donetsk remains a focal point of the war, with Russia seeking full control of the region. The reported gains could not be independently verified. The offensive follows earlier Ukrainian counter-offensives that reclaimed hundreds of square kilometres in the southeast earlier this year.
Why it matters
The new push could shift front-line dynamics in a key contested region of the Ukraine-Russia war.
How the sides frame it
MODERATE AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage stresses Ukrainian victories and Russian misinformation, framing the offensive as a major setback for Putin, while center coverage reports the operation’s basic facts and notes a fabricated video claim, and right-leaning coverage repeats the Ukrainian claims but highlights the lack of independent verification.
LEFT
Left-leaning coverage portrays the northern Donetsk offensive as a decisive Ukrainian triumph that exposes Russian falsehoods and humiliates Putin.
CENTER
Center coverage presents the offensive as a reported Ukrainian operation named “Vivaldi,” noting claimed territorial gains and also flagging a fabricated video claim as misinformation.
RIGHT
Right-leaning coverage reports the Ukrainian offensive and claimed gains but stresses that the reports could not be independently verified.
The left emphasises
- Ukrainian forces achieved a major counterattack near Lyman, reclaiming territory.
- Russian claims about battlefield gains are false and humiliating for Putin.
- Open-source analysts debunk Russian statements about the front.
The right emphasises
- Brigadier-General Andrii Biletskyi announced the offensive and claimed specific territorial gains.
- The reported gains could not be independently verified.
- The offensive is presented as part of ongoing Ukrainian counter-offensives in the region.
How this story developed
- Aug 19 Black Sea grain shipments from Russia and Ukraine collapse, slashing export capacity
- Sep 7 Burnham and Trump reaffirmed a push for a Ukraine ceasefire.
- Sep 8 Zelensky said he expects to meet Trump in September to discuss ballistic weapons and missile‑defence support.
- Sep 9 Trump said Putin signaled willingness to reach a Ukraine peace deal.
- Sep 10 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Calgary to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney and later speak to a cabinet in Banff.
- Sep 10 Zelensky added stops in Toronto and North Bay before leaving Friday.
- Sep 10 Zelensky and Carney formalised a declaration of a long‑term partnership covering defence and energy cooperation.
- Sep 12 Trump publicly singled out the Putin‑Zelensky personal clash as the chief barrier to a settlement.
- Sep 12 A declaration establishing a 100‑year partnership was signed by President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prime Minister Mark Carney.
- Sep 13 Russia's state nuclear corporation head Alexei Likhachev says Ukrainian forces attacked diesel fuel trucks near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, killing two Russian servicemen and injuring many others.
- Sep 13 Likhachev added casualty figures, reporting two Russian servicemen killed and numerous injuries.
- Sep 14 Donald Trump, speaking on his return trip from Ireland to the United States, again urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to stop attacking Russian diesel refineries. He claimed that many diesel supplies originate from Russia and that Ukrainian strikes on those plants damage the global fuel market. Trump added that the ongoing shortage of gasoline and diesel is driven by the Russia-Ukraine war, not by events in the Middle East. Kyiv has defended the attacks, calling the refineries lawful military objectives that diminish Russia’s oil revenue and hamper its ability to fund the invasion. Recent Ukrainian raids have indeed lowered Russian fuel inventories, prompting concerns about broader energy security. The White House released a recording of the remarks, highlighting Trump’s continued involvement in the conflict’s diplomatic discourse.
- Sep 14 Trump posted on Truth Social that Ukraine and Russia have agreed to halt energy attacks.
- Sep 15 Ukrainian drones and missiles struck an Ozon warehouse in Taganrog and damaged an industrial facility in the Samara region.
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