Lyman, which fell to the Russians in May, serves as a rail hub that flows into Donbas, the mineral rich region comprised of Donetsk and neighboring Luhansk Province that has long been the focus of Mr. Putin’s war aims.
Ukraine’s ability to recapture Lyman is the most significant proof yet that Russia’s ability to control the Donbas is anything but certain.
With Lyman under Ukrainian control the battle for the Donbas will enter a new phase. The city’s recapture means that they have gained a new foothold in the region and are positioned to claw back territory before winter sets in.
The next target, if the Ukrainian military continues its advance, would likely be Svatove, a city north east of Lyman where Russians have retrenched following their defeat in the north east, according to analysts.
Russia’s military in the Donbas, depleted and losing ground, will be faced with a decision that involves shuttling resources from other parts of the front to slow Ukraine’s advance or continue to slowly lose chunks of the Donbas.