Ukrainians Are Fighting Russians Inside Underground Gas Pipes. I Went in One.
Ukrainian and Russian troops are fighting inside abandoned natural gas pipelines to evade drone surveillance and launch surprise attacks. In the Kupiansk region, Ukrainian soldiers conducted Operation Veles, trekking nine miles through muddy tunnels to ambush Russian forces and capture 30 prisoners. President Volodymyr Zelensky has cited these secret operations as part of a broader effort to recapture territory. Additionally, fighters from the Freedom of Russia group assisted in clearing invaders from underground utility tunnels within the Kharkiv region.
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- ✓ Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are using abandoned gas pipelines to avoid drones and attack enemy rears.
- ✓ Ukrainian troops trekked nine miles through underground tunnels in Kupiansk and took 30 prisoners.
- ✓ President Volodymyr Zelensky identified Operation Veles as a successful mission using a disused gas pipeline in the Kupiansk region.
- ✓ Combatants are using these tunnels to evade drone strikes and catch opponents off guard.
What changed
Reports now detail Operation Veles in Kupiansk and the capture of 30 Russian prisoners via a nine-mile underground trek.
Live updates
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Ukrainian Forces Use Abandoned Gas Pipelines for Underground Combat
Ukrainian and Russian troops are fighting inside abandoned natural gas pipelines to evade drone surveillance and launch surprise attacks. In the Kupiansk region, Ukrainian soldiers conducted Operation Veles, trekking nine miles through muddy tunnels to ambush Russian forces and capture 30 prisoners. President Volodymyr Zelensky has cited these secret operations as part of a broader effort to recapture territory. Additionally, fighters from the Freedom of Russia group assisted in clearing invaders from underground utility tunnels within the Kharkiv region.
Why it matters
The saturation of the battlefield by drones has forced combatants underground to move undetected. These pipelines formerly transported Russian gas to Europe but now serve as tactical corridors for infiltration.
What is confirmed
- Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are using abandoned gas pipelines to avoid drones and attack enemy rears.
- Ukrainian troops trekked nine miles through underground tunnels in Kupiansk and took 30 prisoners.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky identified Operation Veles as a successful mission using a disused gas pipeline in the Kupiansk region.
- Combatants are using these tunnels to evade drone strikes and catch opponents off guard.
Still unconfirmed
- Ukraine has recorded no new Russian infiltrations in Kupiansk following the underground counteroffensive.
- Fighters from Freedom of Russia helped drive invaders out of utility tunnels in the Kharkiv region.
What to watch next
- Confirmation of further territory recaptured via underground operations
- Evidence of Russian tactical adaptations to counter pipeline infiltrations
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (15)
- www.nytimes.com — The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos
- The Guardian — Ukraine war briefing: Kyiv retaking territory, Zelenskyy says, as Nordic leaders urge Putin to end the conflict
- Gwara Media — Ukraine doesn’t record new Russian infiltrations in Kupiansk after underground counteroffensive
- The New York Times — Ukrainians Are Fighting Russians Inside Underground Gas Pipes. I Went in One.
- Мілітарний — Fighters From Freedom of Russia Helped Drive Out Invaders From Underground Utility Tunnels in Kharkiv Region
- The Independent — Inside Ukraine’s underground mission trekking through miles of gas pipes to ambush Russian troops
- The Independent — Ukraine war live: Zelensky touts recaptured territory after two secret operations
- Tri-City Herald — Ukraine's Zelenskiy says territory recaptured, forces on the offensive
- dnyuz.com — Ukrainians Are Fighting Russians Inside Underground Gas Pipes ...
- nationalsecurityjournal.org — Ukraine and Russia Are Now Fighting Inside Abandoned Natural ...
- unn.ua — The tactics of fighting in gas pipelines: why it matters in ...
- www.yahoo.com — Inside Ukraine’s underground mission trekking through miles ...
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