Ukraine reports first full-scale underground counter-offensive on Kupiansk axis
Ukraine's 2nd National Guard Corps "Khartiia" says it carried out the underground counter-offensive "Veles" on the Kupiansk direction in Kharkiv Oblast, advancing more than 15 kilometres through gas pipelines into the rear of Russian positions. The corps reports more than 30 Russian troops taken prisoner and Russian losses exceeding 100 personnel, and describes the operation as the world's first full-scale underground counter-offensive.
Key points
- The 2nd National Guard Corps "Khartiia" led the "Veles" underground counter-offensive on the Kupiansk direction in Kharkiv Oblast.
- Ukrainian forces advanced more than 15 kilometres through underground communications, reportedly gas pipelines, into the rear of Russian positions.
- The underground advance was combined with surface action and drone strikes, coordinated through a joint centre with the "Achilles" unmanned systems brigade.
- Units of the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR), including the "Freedom of Russia" Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, took part alongside the 13th Khartiia brigade, the 23rd "R.U.H." assault regiment, the "Lava" unmanned systems regiment, and the 429th "Achilles" brigade.
- The corps reports more than 30 Russian troops captured and total Russian losses exceeding 100 personnel; "Khartiia" describes "Veles" as the world's first full-scale underground counter-offensive.
- Before the operation, fighters underwent physical and psychological preparation for confined spaces, while sappers, engineers and a support battalion prepared the route; navigation, communications and life support relied on the corps' own technological solutions because GPS and stable radio were unavailable underground.
Why it matters
The operation reportedly disrupted a Russian plan to use underground routes to slip behind Ukrainian lines near Kupiansk, combining movement underground, action on the surface, and drone strikes in a single coordinated effort. By reporting more than 30 prisoners and over 100 Russian casualties, Kyiv frames "Veles" as a significant tactical success, and "Khartiia" is publicly claiming a doctrinal first — the world's first full-scale underground counter-offensive. The episode also highlights how underground infrastructure, in this case gas pipelines, has become a contested battlespace on the front.
What happened
On 22 October, the 2nd National Guard Corps "Khartiia" announced the underground counter-offensive "Veles" on the Kupiansk direction in Kharkiv Oblast. Ukrainian forces moved more than 15 kilometres through underground communications, reported to be gas pipelines, into the rear of Russian positions. The underground advance was carried out alongside surface movement by other units and was supported by drone strikes; a joint coordination centre with the 429th "Achilles" unmanned systems brigade synchronised the three layers of the operation.
The grouping brought together the 13th Khartiia brigade, the 23rd "R.U.H." assault regiment, the "Lava" unmanned systems regiment, units of the Main Intelligence Directorate including the "Freedom of Russia" Legion and the Russian Volunteer Corps, and the "Achilles" brigade. Before the operation, troops underwent physical and psychological preparation for confined spaces, and sappers, engineers and a support battalion prepared the underground route. Underground, GPS and stable radio were unavailable, so the corps relied on its own navigation, communications and life-support solutions.
The corps said more than 30 Russian servicemen were taken prisoner and total Russian losses during the operation exceeded 100 personnel. It described "Veles" as the world's first full-scale underground counter-offensive and said the operation stopped Russian forces from entering the rear of Kupiansk.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda, Suspilne, NV, hromadske, LB.ua, Hromadske Radio, Novynarnia, Ukrinform, Interfax-Ukraine and Babel, led with the distance advanced underground, the multi-branch composition of the grouping, and "Khartiia's" claim that "Veles" is the first full-scale underground counter-offensive in history. Coverage highlighted the coordination between underground movement, surface action and drone support, as well as the physical and psychological preparation and the corps' own technological solutions for navigation, communication and life support underground. The casualty and prisoner figures are presented as claims from the "Khartiia" corps, not as independently verified counts.
Background
The operation took place on the Kupiansk direction in Kharkiv Oblast, with the underground route reportedly running through gas pipelines. Russian forces have been observed using underground communications, and the Ukrainian side studied that practice before developing its own approach to underground combat. "Khartiia" originated in 2022 as a volunteer territorial defence formation, became the 13th Operational Purpose Brigade of the National Guard in 2023, and on 15 April 2025 was established as the 2nd Corps "Khartiia" under Brigadier General Ihor Obolensky.