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Ukrainian forces have liberated three more settlements in the Lyman direction of the Donetsk region during the latest stage of Operation Vivaldi, according to Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps.

Brigadier General Andrii Biletskyi, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, said Ukrainian troops had taken control of Nove, Ridkodub and Katerynivka, while also restoring control over Karpivka and Novomykhailivka.

According to Biletskyi, Ukrainian forces regained another 51 square kilometres of territory during the third stage of the offensive, bringing the total area retaken since the operation began to 176 square kilometres.

The Ukrainian commander also claimed that Russian forces suffered around 2,000 personnel losses during the latest phase, while more than 250 Russian servicemen were taken prisoner.

The battlefield figures have been announced by the Ukrainian military and have not been independently verified.

Operation Vivaldi is a Ukrainian counteroffensive focused on the Lyman sector of Donetsk region. Earlier stages of the operation resulted in Ukrainian forces regaining control of several other settlements, including Shandryholove, Derylove and Drobysheve.

The Institute for the Study of War reported earlier this month that Ukrainian counteroffensive operations northwest of Lyman had disrupted Russian efforts in the area, while noting that Russian sources had also begun acknowledging some Ukrainian advances.