Kiev announced that a daring Ukrainian operation - using robots lowered behind enemy lines and armored personnel carriers packed with Trojan Horse-style bombs - had resulted in the capture of more than 250 Russian soldiers.
A video released by the Ukrainian Third Army Corps this week shows dozens of Russian soldiers surrendering and walking through a forest in a single file, forming a long human chain. They walked with their heads bowed under heavy guard by Ukrainian forces, who later gathered them into a compact formation and forced them to conduct an impromptu census.
The video shows some of the Russian prisoners explaining that they surrendered because they "did not want to die in vain," describing how they were forced to eat tree bark and grasses and drink water from pools after the most basic supplies ran out.
CNN cannot independently verify the video or the Ukrainian claims about the surrender, but some prominent Russian military bloggers have lamented the recent Ukrainian advances and demanded explanations from the Russian leadership about reports of leadership failures and supply shortages, factors that led to the surrenders.
Russia continues to bomb Ukrainian cities with almost non-stop air strikes, taking advantage of Kiev's severe shortage of air defense missiles. The past four months have been among the bloodiest periods for Ukrainian civilians since the start of the all-out invasion in 2022.
The Ukrainian army continues to gradually seize control of Russian-controlled territory in the Donbass region in eastern Ukraine, as part of a counter-offensive dubbed "Vivaldi."
These successes have sent a ray of hope and optimism amidst months characterized by a gloomy atmosphere for Ukraine.
“Operation Vivaldi” was largely characterized by innovative Ukrainian use of technology, particularly drones (air and ground) and armored personnel carriers.
According to Andrey Beletsky, commander of the 3rd Army Corps, during one offensive operation, the Ukrainian army was able to airdrop automated systems equipped with heavy weapons more than 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) behind Russian lines.
These ground robots were controlled from safe locations within command centers located deep in Ukrainian-controlled territory, which allowed them to attack Russian forces from an unexpected direction.
The skies over Ukraine's front lines have been filled with drones for years, posing an extremely serious threat to infantry forces. This prompted Ukraine to make land robots an essential part of its military arsenal.
These ground robots are difficult to detect and intercept compared to larger military vehicles. Unlike their aerial counterparts, they can operate in all weather conditions and carry much greater weights and loads.
However, “Operation Vivaldi” represents the first time these robots are known to have been smuggled behind Russian defensive lines.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is desperately seeking to seize the eastern Donbass region in Ukraine. In a speech he delivered Thursday to the Valdai Club - a Moscow-based discussion forum - Putin claimed that Europe and Ukraine fear that Kiev will not be able to withstand the Russian advance for more than another 18 to 24 months.
Putin also hinted that Moscow is capable of controlling what remains of the Donetsk region in less time than that, considering that Ukrainian resistance is useless.
However, recent military operations have raised hopes in Kiev that Russia may not be able to seize the rest of the Donbas region so quickly; While Moscow continues to gradually undermine what is known as the “belt of fortresses” in the East, its progress is characterized by slowness and high human and material costs.
Western intelligence services estimate that Russia is losing about 40,000 soldiers per month, which equates to a rate of 340 casualties (dead or wounded) per square kilometre. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) has concluded that at the current pace, Russian forces will not be able to control the rest of the Donbas region before 2032 – if they can capture it at all.
