The Subterranean Battle Playing Out Deep in Ukraine’s Soviet-Era Pipelines

Live updates

1. 2h ago

   Ukrainian Troops Execute Underground Counteroffensive Through Pipelines

   Ukrainian forces have infiltrated Russian rear positions near Kupiansk by moving through Soviet-era gas pipelines in an operation dubbed Operation Veles. Troops advanced 15 kilometers behind enemy lines through subterranean routes measuring 1.2 meters wide. Ukrainian units conducted close-range firefights inside the confined infrastructure to bypass heavily defended surface fortifications. Participating formations in the clandestine assault include the Khartiia brigade and the Skelia Regiment. This underground infiltration represents a novel tactical maneuver in the ongoing conflict, utilizing disused industrial infrastructure to achieve operational surprise against Russian defensive lines.

   Why it matters

   Subterranean warfare has increasingly shaped combat operations throughout the conflict, as both sides exploit industrial infrastructure, tunnels, and trenches. The Kupiansk sector has seen intense front-line pressure, prompting inventive approaches to breach deeply entrenched defensive positions. Bypassing surface obstacles via Soviet-era energy corridors allows attacking forces to emerge behind enemy lines without suffering the catastrophic casualties typical of frontal assaults across heavily mined terrain.

   What is confirmed

   • Ukrainian troops infiltrated Russian rear positions near Kupiansk by moving through 15 kilometers of gas pipelines.
   • The Khartiia brigade and Skelia Regiment participated in the subterranean operation named Operation Veles.
   • Ukrainian soldiers fought firefights inside gas pipes measuring 1.2 meters wide.

   What to watch next

   • Further official disclosures from the Ukrainian military regarding the full scope of Operation Veles
   • Russian defensive reactions and counter-tunnelling efforts along the Kupiansk sector
   • Visual confirmation or independent battlefield assessments of the pipeline exit points behind Russian lines
   Sources used for this update (12)

   1. WSJ — The Subterranean Battle Playing Out Deep in Ukraine’s Soviet-Era Pipelines
   2. Kyiv Post — ‘We Outplayed Them’: Ukraine Claims First Underground Counteroffensive
   3. The Kyiv Independent — Ukrainian troops infiltrate Russian rear through gas pipelines near Kupiansk, Khartiia says
   4. Ukrinform — Ukrainian forces advance 15 km behind Russian lines through underground routes on Kupiansk front
   5. The Atlantic — The Underground Battles Shaping the War in Ukraine
   6. Українська правда — They fought firefights inside 1.2-metre-wide gas pipe: Khartiia reveals details of operation near Kupiansk
   7. Yahoo — Ukraine war latest: Ukrainian troops infiltrate Russian rear near Kupiansk through 15 kilometers of gas pipelines
   8. Ґвара Медіа — Ukraine’s troops conduct “underground counteroffensive” near Kupiansk
   9. Українська правда — Over 15 km underground behind Russian lines: Khartiia reveals details of Operation Veles near Kupiansk – video
   10. Мілітарний — Skelia Regiment Soldiers Join Underground Operation in Kupiansk Sector
   11. UNITED24 Media — “Operation Impossible”: Ukrainian Troops Clear Kilometers of Gas Pipeline Near Kupiansk
   12. jamestown.org — Lessons Learned From Russia’s War Against Ukraine: Russian ...
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