Ukraine Launches Operation Veles to Clear Russian Tunnel Forces
The 13th Khartiia Brigade is fighting Russian troops inside Soviet-era gas pipelines near Kupyansk to stop subterranean infiltrations and surprise attacks.
Russian and Ukrainian forces are fighting pitched battles inside Soviet-era gas pipelines to bypass drone surveillance and launch surprise attacks. Near the city of Kupyansk, the 13th Khartiia Brigade launched Operation Veles to push Russian troops out of these subterranean networks. The brigade reports killing more than 100 Russian soldiers and capturing over 30 within the main pipeline and its tributaries.
Russian forces have used these tunnels to infiltrate behind Ukrainian lines, establish living hubs, and launch drones. These tactics were previously employed during the 2024 invasion of the Kursk region and in failed attempts to enter Chasiv Yar. In response, Ukrainian forces are deploying unmanned ground vehicles equipped with explosives and remote machine guns to clear Russian sandbag barricades.
Military officials state that underground warfare is returning as a strategic necessity due to the prevalence of precision weapons and drones on the surface. Lieutenant Volodymyr Dehtyarov noted the difficulty of destroying tunnel exits, comparing the process to a game of whack-a-mole.
