Ukrainian operation disrupted Russian plans to encircle Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, commander says

Andrii Biletskyi, commander of Ukraine's Center military grouping, said Operation Vivaldi had prevented Russian forces from advancing along a northern route intended to threaten the Ukrainian-held cities.

Speaking at a press conference reported by hromadske, Biletskyi said Russian forces had planned to advance from a bridgehead on the Chornyi Zherebets River toward Sviatohirsk and Rubtsi, split Ukrainian positions east of the Oskil River and push toward Barvinkove in southern Kharkiv region.

The broader objective, he said, was to encircle the Sloviansk-Kramatorsk area from the north while another Russian advance through the Dobropillia area completed the maneuver from the south.

According to Biletskyi, the operation disrupted that plan and severely weakened the Russian forces assigned to carry it out.

He claimed Russia's 144th Motor Rifle Division had effectively ceased to function as an organized fighting force.

Biletskyi said Russian commanders had consequently abandoned their northern encirclement attempt for now and temporarily set aside a direct assault on Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, although they could return to that approach later.

He identified the Dobropillia direction as the remaining focus of Russia's offensive efforts in the area, saying Ukrainian forces were conducting counteroperations there.

Biletskyi said Ukrainian troops had recaptured 277 square kilometers (107 square miles) since Operation Vivaldi began, with additional areas cleared of infiltrating Russian troops not included in that figure.

He also claimed more than 8,000 Russian soldiers had been killed or wounded during the operation and 270 taken prisoner, including more than 20 officers.

According to the commander, Russian casualties were seven times higher than Ukrainian losses.

The battlefield figures and Biletskyi's assessment of Russian operational plans could not be independently verified.