The key facts

  • Ukrainian forces advanced over 15 km through underground gas pipelines, including a 1.2-meter diameter pipe, and attacked Russian positions near Kupyansk
  • According to Zelenskyy, more than 100 Russian soldiers were killed and over 30 captured
  • The same tactic was used by Russian forces in September 2025 to bypass Ukrainian positions

Underground route

Ukrainian forces carried out an operation codenamed 'Veles' near Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region: fighters advanced toward Russian positions through underground gas pipelines, covering more than 15 kilometers. This was reported by euronews citing a statement by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday, October 28. The operation involved the 2nd Corps of the National Guard 'Chartiya' along with other units: the underground maneuver was combined with simultaneous surface attacks and coordinated drone strikes.

Conditions and preparation

Part of the route passed through a gas pipeline with a diameter of only 1.2 meters, forcing soldiers to move in extremely cramped conditions. According to a source within the 'Chartiya' Corps, cited by euronews, fighting took place directly inside the pipe—Ukrainian troops advanced several kilometers, encountering Russian soldiers. The operation required extensive preparation: training for combat in confined spaces and specially developed technical solutions for navigation, communication, and life support.

Adopted tactic

Notably, the method was not new: as reported in September 2025 by the Ukrainian monitoring group DeepState, Russian forces previously used a gas pipeline under the Oskol River to penetrate Ukrainian positions near Kupyansk, bypassing conventional defense lines. Zelenskyy confirmed this: 'The Russians have already attempted to use underground gas pipelines to move through our positions and conduct assault operations. Ukrainian warriors have successfully transformed this tactic, modernized it, and made it far more complex and technologically advanced.' The 'Chartiya' Corps first revealed details of the operation on October 22, stating that it thwarted Russian attempts to infiltrate Ukrainian positions around Kupyansk; the goal was to deprive the enemy of the ability to use the pipeline network to reach the rear of the defense.

Place in the overall campaign

In his evening address, Zelenskyy presented 'Veles' as the third major Ukrainian operation of this year. According to him, the first, conducted by airborne troops in the Aleksandrovka sector at the junction of the Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions, liberated more than 800 square kilometers, while the second—Operation 'Vivaldi' in the Donetsk region—liberated over 200 square kilometers. He stated that 'Veles' strengthens Ukraine's positions near Kupyansk and demonstrates that Moscow has not achieved the goals set by its political leadership. There is no independent verification of the claimed casualties and liberated areas in the euronews publication—the data provided are from the Ukrainian side.