Ukrainian troops advanced more than 15 kilometres through underground gas pipelines near Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, infiltrating Russian positions in an operation codenamed Operation Veles. Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the mission eliminated more than 100 Russian troops and captured over 30.
How Ukraine Adapted Moscow’s Subterranean Tactic
Executing a subsurface advance coupled with simultaneous surface raids and synchronized drone strikes, the mission was spearheaded by the 2nd Khartiia Corps of the National Guard alongside other Ukrainian forces. The underground route included a gas pipeline measuring just 1.2 metres in diameter. This forced Ukrainian soldiers to navigate confined spaces as they advanced towards Russian positions.
A Khartiia Corps insider referenced by Ukrainska Pravda noted that Ukrainian personnel engaged in combat directly within the pipeline, pushing several kilometres through the cramped conduit while facing off against Russian troops. The mission demanded rigorous preparation, incorporating training for confined-environment combat alongside custom-built tech solutions tailored for navigation, communication, and life support.
First results of Operation Veles in the Kupiansk direction of Kharkiv region, carried out by the 2nd Khartiia Corps:▪️ More than 100 Russian occupiers have already been killed, and more than 30 have been taken prisoner.▪️ Underground advance: over 15 kilometers.Russian… https://t.co/iOESjEc1qM pic.twitter.com/QrS1lsQrJf
In September 2025, the Ukrainian battlefield monitoring outfit DeepState shared that Russian forces had utilized a gas pipeline running underneath the Oskil River to sneak into Ukrainian lines near Kupiansk, bypassing standard defensive barriers. By employing that subterranean pathway, Russian units gained access to Ukrainian-controlled territory without traversing open terrain above ground, posing a massive obstacle for defenders belonging to Kyiv.
Now, Ukrainian forces have turned that vulnerability into an advantage.
The Russians had already tried to use underground gas pipelines to move through our positions and launch assault operations. Ukrainian warriors have successfully transformed this tactic, modernized it, and made it much more sophisticated and technologically advanced.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy
Broader Military Context Around Kupiansk
The 2nd Khartiia Corps first disclosed details of Operation Veles on 22 October, stating that the mission had disrupted Russian attempts to infiltrate Ukrainian positions around Kupiansk. Blending subsurface maneuvers with surface-level assaults, Ukrainian troops aimed to stop Russian forces from further utilizing the pipeline grid to access the rear areas of Ukraine’s defense lines.
This military action holds broader significance regarding the ongoing fight for Kupiansk, a key urban center in northeastern Ukraine that continues to serve as a primary target for Russian offensives. Veles was introduced by Zelenskyy as the third major Ukrainian military operation of the year, following two preceding offensives that he reported reclaimed vast tracts of land previously held by Russia.
| Operation / Campaign | Region | Reported Territory Reclaimed / Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| First Campaign (Air Assault Forces) | Oleksandrivka sector (Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia) | Liberated more than 800 square kilometres |
| Operation Vivaldi | Donetsk region | Liberated more than 200 square kilometres |
| Operation Veles | Kupiansk sector (Kharkiv region) | Over 15 km underground infiltration; 100+ Russian troops eliminated, 30+ captured |
Per the president’s statements, the initial campaign executed by Ukraine’s Air Assault Forces across the Oleksandrivka sector—encompassing portions of the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions—retook an area exceeding 800 square kilometres. Designated as Operation Vivaldi, the second offensive unfolded within the Donetsk region, where the president noted that Ukrainian units freed over 200 square kilometres across zones previously subjected to continuous Russian attacks.
Veles is strengthening Ukraine’s positions near Kupiansk and demonstrating that Moscow has failed to achieve the objectives set by its political leadership.
“We are protecting the lives of our people, inflicting losses on the occupiers, and achieving our objectives in the Kupiansk sector,” Zelenskyy said in a statement on Tuesday.
