Ukrainian forces capture 250 Russians in Operation Vivaldi's third phase

During the third phase of Operation Vivaldi, Ukrainian forces captured over 250 Russian soldiers, including officers, who surrendered on orders from their commanders after being left without food and water. According to Lieutenant Colonel Petro Rollo Gorbatenko, chief of staff of the 3rd Army Corps, the Russian troops were exhausted and surrounded, with their command falsely claiming they were taking Svyatohirsk. Some resorted to drinking urine due to dehydration, and units fought over canned meat. The captured Russians reportedly appreciated being fed in Ukrainian captivity. Operation Vivaldi, confirmed on September 15, has liberated 176 square kilometers of Ukrainian territory in Donetsk Oblast, with Russian losses estimated at 3,000 personnel.