Ukraine says underground pipeline assault near Kupiansk hit Russian forces

Ukrainian forces have carried out an unusual assault near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, using underground gas pipelines to move behind Russian positions. The operation, described by Ukrainian officials as Operation Veles, combined movement through the pipeline network with attacks above ground and drone strikes. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the mission had already produced significant results on the battlefield.

According to the supplied report, Ukrainian troops travelled more than 15 kilometres through underground pipelines beneath the front line. Zelenskyy said on Tuesday that more than 100 Russian troops had been eliminated and more than 30 captured. He made the comments after receiving a briefing from senior military officials on the operation's initial results and progress.

The route included a gas pipeline measuring 1.2 metres in diameter, which forced soldiers to move through confined spaces. The operation was carried out by the National Guard's 2nd Khartiia Corps together with other Ukrainian units. The report says the mission required extensive preparation, including training for combat in confined spaces and specially developed technology for navigation, communications and life support.

A source within the Khartiia Corps said Ukrainian troops fought inside the pipeline itself while advancing several kilometres through the narrow passage toward Russian positions. The same report says the assault was coordinated with simultaneous attacks above ground. The episode matters because it shows how both sides in the war have adapted to the terrain and infrastructure around Kupiansk.

The city and surrounding area in northeastern Ukraine have been contested repeatedly, and the use of underground routes adds another layer to the fighting there. The report also notes that Russian forces had previously used a gas pipeline beneath the Oskil River in September 2025 to infiltrate Ukrainian positions near Kupiansk. Ukrainian officials now say they have turned that tactic into an advantage.

That earlier episode is important context for understanding why the latest operation has drawn attention. The report says Russian troops used the underground route to bypass conventional defensive lines and reach Ukrainian-held territory without crossing exposed ground. Ukrainian officials now say their own forces have modernised and improved the method.

Zelenskyy said the Russians had already tried to use underground gas pipelines to move through Ukrainian positions and launch assault operations. What remains unclear is the full scale of the fighting, the extent of Russian losses beyond the figures given by Zelenskyy, and how long Ukrainian forces can sustain this method of attack. The report does not provide independent verification of the casualty and capture claims.

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