Ukraine troops advance 15 km through gas pipelines in Operation Veles near Kupiansk
Ukrainian forces carried out Operation Veles, an underground advance through gas pipelines near Kupiansk that they say cut off a covert Russian infiltration route. The operation involved more than 15 kilometres of underground movement, direct firefights and drone strikes; Ukraine reported taking more than 30 Russian soldiers prisoner and suffering Russian losses of over 100 personnel.
Key points
- Operation Veles was carried out by the 2nd Corps of the National Guard unit Khortia near Kupiansk
- Ukrainian troops advanced more than 15 km through underground gas pipelines to reach the rear of Russian forces
- The operation combined an underground advance with drone strikes from the ground
- More than 30 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner during Operation Veles
- Ukrainian forces reported Russian losses of more than 100 personnel
- Russian troops continued attempting infiltration and attacking Ukrainian positions after the operation
- No Russian offensive operations were conducted on the Kupiansk direction on October 25
Why it matters
Operation Veles removed a hidden route that Russian troops had used for more than a year to approach and infiltrate Ukrainian positions near Kupiansk. The underground advance reached Russian positions in the rear, involved direct firefights in difficult conditions and was combined with drone strikes. Ukraine also reported more than 30 prisoners and over 100 Russian personnel killed.
What happened
The 2nd Corps of the National Guard unit Khortia carried out Operation Veles near Kupiansk. Ukrainian troops moved more than 15 kilometres through abandoned gas pipelines and underground communications to reach the rear of Russian forces. The route had been used by Russian troops for more than a year to approach and infiltrate Ukrainian battle positions. During the underground advance, Ukrainian forces fought Russian troops at close range and coordinated the movement with drone strikes from the surface. Ukraine reported that more than 30 Russian soldiers were captured and that Russian losses exceeded 100 personnel. After the operation, Russian troops continued trying to infiltrate Kupiansk and nearby areas and to attack Ukrainian positions, but Ukrainian forces said they repelled the attacks.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian sources portray Operation Veles as a major tactical breakthrough that closed a covert Russian route to Kupiansk and allowed Ukrainian troops to enter the enemy's rear. Their coverage emphasizes the unprecedented underground advance, the operation's lengthy preparation, the harsh underground combat conditions, the use of drones and the reported scale of Russian losses and captured personnel. They also acknowledge that Russian infiltration attempts and attacks continued after the operation.
Background
Russian troops used abandoned gas pipelines near Kupiansk to approach and infiltrate Ukrainian positions for more than a year. Preparations for Operation Veles lasted over six months. Ukrainian troops began storming the pipeline on July 10 and blocked 15 Russian soldiers inside; the group eventually surrendered after nearly one and a half months. The captured soldiers said they had received little military training and were assigned to assaults and attempts to enter Ukrainian territory through the abandoned pipeline.