Ukraine and Russia are taking the war underground as drones saturate the battlefield
Summary
Ukraine has begun using disused gas pipelines and tunnels to fight Russian forces near Kupiansk, adopting a tactic Russia has used for years to move past Ukrainian defenses. Kyiv says Operation Veles helped Ukrainian troops secure a pipeline and kill or capture Russian soldiers; analysts say the tactic is limited to existing underground networks and has become more common over the past year.Key Facts
- Ukraine launched Operation Veles in October in the Kupiansk region.
- Ukrainian troops advanced about 15 kilometres through a gas pipeline roughly 1.2 metres in diameter, according to the article.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukrainian forces killed about 100 Russian soldiers and captured more than 30 during the operation.
- Analysts cited in the article said Russian troops used underground routes earlier, including near Avdiivka in 2024.
- The article says Russian forces also used pipeline tunnels in efforts to retake Kursk and in the Kupiansk region.
- The underground routes include Soviet-era gas pipelines and other tunnels built to carry Russian natural gas through Ukraine to Europe.
- Analysts said underground operations are constrained by the routes that already exist, but have become more intensive over the past year.
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