Frontline report: Ukrainian commandos storm Russian positions with drone-led counterattack, halt infiltration into key Donbas routes

Today, there are many updates from the Lyman direction in Donetsk Oblast. In a decisive move, the Ukrainian command redeployed elite forces to stabilize the situation near Nevske, countering a significant Russian push. This swift maneuver enabled a successful counterattack, allowing Ukraine to regain control of key positions and blunt the Russian advance toward the village of Torske.

Lyman is a critical hub for Russia’s Donbas ambitions

Recent developments in the Lyman direction have shown significant intensification of Russian efforts, particularly focused on advancing through the Torske area. The Russian strategic objective remains clear: crossing the Zherebets River to capture the town of Lyman, a critical railway and logistics hub.

This objective holds particular significance as Lyman would be essential for any Russian further advancement towards Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the two major Ukrainian-held cities in the Donbas region. Since abandoning the Kharkiv offensive in 2022, taking full control of Donbas – Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts -has become Russia’s primary political and military objective.

Russia’s strategic options for capturing Lyman

If we look at the topographic map, we can observe that only two main vectors are available for Russian forces advancing toward Lyman, as the southern area through the Serebryanskyi forest is basically blocked due to the dense woodland, thus making mechanized advances there nearly impossible. 

The first viable option follows a route from Torske and Zarichne, avoiding wide water bodies and elevated terrain but running dangerously close to the forest’s northern edge. The second option involves crossing the Zherebets River near the villages of Terny and Yampolivka. While this route initially faces challenges in wide water areas and elevated terrain beyond the river, a successful advance here would provide the crucial advantage of approaching Lyman from higher ground.

Russian tactical shift and Nevske operation

In any case, Russian forces have adopted a wide approach, recognizing that success at Terny and Yampolivka could significantly improve their tactical position near Torske. This strategy has also increased bombardment, particularly with FAB bombs concentrated around Terny. After numerous failed frontal assaults near Terny and Yampolivka, Russian forces adjusted their approach, launching a surprise attack further north to capture the village of Nevske.

While Nevske’s geographical position in the lowlands makes it unsuitable for amassing forces for a significant southward push, its capture served two purposes: disrupting Ukrainian logistics to supply the Ukrainian bridgehead and diverting Ukrainian resources away from sectors in the south. The Ukrainian command demonstrated an accurate tactical understanding in response to this situation. Elements of different elite units, including the 3rd Assault Brigade, were rapidly redeployed from their positions 12 km north to launch a counterattack at Nevske.

Ukraine’s swift response halts Russian momentum

Recent first-person footage from this operation revealed intense clashes and dramatic scenes as Ukrainian soldiers dismounted from M113 armored personnel carriers and stormed Russian positions, first in forested areas and then in Nevske village itself.

Among other interesting details, the footage highlights the extensive use of drones in commanding and directing Ukrainian assaults, showcasing their technological integration in tactical operations. A particularly shocking episode unfolded during a close-quarters encounter inside a Nevske building: Ukrainian soldiers, during a brief rest, detected enemy presence just meters away, leading to an intense firefight where their superior reaction time proved decisive.

As a result, the successful undermining of Russian operations in Nevske allowed Ukrainian forces to concentrate resources more effectively against Russian attacks near Torske. Geolocated footage from the 60th Mechanized Brigade’s drone operators in Nevske documented successful strikes against Russian tank crews and infantry from the 37th Motorized Rifle Regiment and 19th Tank Regiment. These precision drone attacks east of Torske village demonstrated the continuing effectiveness of Ukrainian drone warfare in this sector.

The Ukrainian command’s rapid deployment of elite units like the 3rd Assault Brigade from their positions further north proved decisive. This swift action enabled a lightning counterattack that stabilized the situation and reclaimed significant portions of Nevske. Most importantly, this success allowed Ukrainian forces in the southern sector to focus more effectively on repelling Russian attempts to advance toward Torske.

This recent series of engagements underscores the Ukrainian military’s ability to quickly read and react to tactical situations, deploying elite units precisely where needed while maintaining effective drone and artillery coordination across multiple sectors. While initially successful, the Russian attempt to create a diversion at Nevske ultimately failed to achieve its broader strategic objectives due to the rapid and decisive Ukrainian response.

In our regular frontline report, we pair up with the military blogger Reporting from Ukraine to keep you informed about what is happening on the battlefield in the Russo-Ukrainian war.