Inside a mission to liberate Russian-occupied territory in Ukraine's south (opens in new tab)

Secrecy was paramount. Not even some of the high-ranking commanders who would be taking part knew of Ukraine's upcoming counterattack in southeastern Ukraine. "Everything here was done secretly, so very few people knew about it," Vadym, a battalion commander with the 110th Mechanized Brigade who goes by his callsign "Lighthouse," said at a command post in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. Vadym had heard rumors about the operation, but only believed "something was brewing" after seeing an increase in the