ADAPTIVE INDOMITABLE UKRAINE Creating Russian “Salients à la carte” in Northern Donetsk Oblast

Key Points:

• Ukrainian forces' Operation Vivaldi has rapidly undermined the Russian northern pincer near Lyman, threatening the entire Russian front targeting the "Fortress Belt" in Donetsk Oblast.
• Ukrainian troops have surrounded a significant Russian garrison near Yampil by advancing from both north and south, aiming to encircle the city using natural river barriers, effectively cutting off Russian forces.
• The Institute for the Study of War and Newsweek report multiple Ukrainian breakthroughs across four Russian salients, raising concerns that Russian efforts to capture key fortress cities like Sloviansk and Kramatorsk may fail or incur heavy casualties.
• Ukrainian use of advanced tactics, including unmanned ground assault robots and special forces operating behind Russian lines, has caused confusion and disruption among Russian troops, leading to some surrendering and others fighting to the death.
• With ongoing operations such as Veles complementing Vivaldi, Ukrainian forces continue to dismantle Russian salients despite worsening winter conditions, putting isolated Russian units at high risk of collapse and encirclement.