The latest battlefield uses of robots have helped the Ukrainian military’s Operation Vivald reclaim up to 96 square miles of territory. Operation Vivaldi has also defeated Russian forces that were the northern part of a pincer movement attempting to encircle Ukraine’s “Fortress Belt” cities in eastern Ukraine, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a think tank based in Washington, DC.

Since launching in May 2026, the Ukrainian Third Army Corps operation has practiced strict operational security that has kept successful advances under wraps. That has misled Russian leaders, whose awareness is hindered by a “pervasive culture of lying within the Russian military.” Operation Vivaldi’s success has also been enabled by Ukraine’s drone strike campaign targeting Russian fuel supplies, reducing diesel for generators powering Russian electronic warfare systems. Ukraine’s own electronic warfare systems neutralized about 20,000 Russian drones, helping achieve “tactical drone overmatch” while supporting advances toward Lyman in Donetsk Oblast.

Russia’s elite drone unit, Rubicon, was withdrawn after losses, but Russia is directing armored vehicles and drone units toward Dobropillya for future assaults. During the summer, Russia tested a new anti-drone protection system for tanks with limited success. Russia has also stepped up “hybrid warfare” against Europe, including an explosive drone boat near a gas site and an attempted drone attack on Ukrainian cargo aircraft at Leipzig Airport.