ISW: Z-bloggers Are Up In Arms Over Operation "Vivaldi"

• 29.09.2026, 9:46

Propagandists are talking about lies within the Russian Ministry of Defense.

The offensive operation by the Defense Forces “Vivaldi” is fueling discussions among Russian so-called “military correspondents” that the scale of lies within the Russian Armed Forces is harming Russian occupation forces and contributing to Ukraine’s successes in the Lyman sector.

This is stated in report by analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) dated September 28.

The experts drew attention to the rhetoric of “military correspondents” and note that they are increasingly critical of the practice of “embellished reports,” in which false statements by Russian commanders on the battlefield mislead higher-level leadership, hindering operational planning and facilitating the advance of Ukrainian defenders.

For example, one of the “military correspondents” acknowledged that it will not be easy for Russian officials to explain what happened to the public, since Russian propaganda media are flooding the information space with triumphant statements and attempting to portray Ukrainian defensive lines as on the verge of collapse.

Inaccurate reports within the Russian command system regarding the current situation on the front lines are constantly undermining Russian troops’ situational awareness and the ability of Russian commanders to hold back the advancing infantry and equipment of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, the ISW notes.

On September 28, the Third Army Corps released details of the third phase of Operation “Vivaldi” in the Lyman sector. During this phase, Ukrainian forces carried out successful diversionary maneuvers and disinformation campaigns against the enemy, and liberated the settlements of Novoye, Redkodub, Katerinovka, Karpovka, and Novomikhailivka—all of which are located north of Lyman, the ISW noted.