Ukraine forces break through at Lyman as veterans recall the brutal 'meat grinder' days of war

From the Newshound archive · first published 21 September 2026.

Ukrainian forces have achieved a significant breakthrough near Lyman, with military expert Philip Ingram breaking down the operation step-by-step. The advance marks a notable shift on one of the war's most contested frontlines, where some of the conflict's bloodiest fighting has taken place.

Veterans say they now look back on the grinding attritional phase as almost preferable to today's combat conditions.

Philip Ingram's analysis suggests the Lyman push involved coordinated manoeuvre tactics rather than the mass infantry assaults that defined earlier stages of the war.