Ukrainian forces tunnel through gas pipelines to strike Russian rear near Kupiansk
Ukrainian troops moved about 15 km through underground gas pipelines near Kupiansk, capturing over 30 Russian soldiers and inflicting more than 100 casualties, the National Guard’s 2nd Khartiia Corps said.
On Oct. 22, Ukraine’s National Guard 2nd Khartiia Corps announced that its troops infiltrated the rear of Russian forces near the town of Kupiansk by traveling approximately 15 km through underground gas pipelines in Kharkiv Oblast. The maneuver, dubbed “Veles,” was coordinated with other Ukrainian units and combined the subterranean advance with surface operations, including drone strikes. Corps commander Ihor Obolienskyi explained that Ukrainian forces anticipated Russian attempts to use the pipelines for covert troop movements and therefore adopted the same route themselves.
The corps claims the raid captured more than 30 Russian soldiers and caused over 100 Russian casualties, though the numbers could not be verified. Earlier in the conflict, Russian troops had used pipelines for hidden maneuvers, and the Khartiia Corps highlighted the shift to underground warfare as a response.
Why it matters
It shows Ukraine adopting novel underground tactics to disrupt Russian troop movements.
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