World · Europe · 3 hrs ago
Ukraine says pipeline operation near Kupiansk killed over 100 Russian troops
Ukraine says its forces killed more than 100 Russian troops and captured over 30 in an operation near Kupiansk.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the troops advanced more than 15 kilometres through underground gas pipelines in Kharkiv Oblast.
The operation, called Veles, was carried out by the National Guard’s 2nd Khartiia Corps with other Ukrainian units.
Russian forces had previously used the pipelines to move through Ukrainian positions, and Ukraine says it turned that tactic against them.
The reported casualty figures come from Ukrainian officials and cannot be independently verified.
The operation aims to stop Russian troops using the pipelines to approach Kupiansk and could put Russian positions at risk.
Ukraine says an operation using underground gas pipelines near Kupiansk killed or “eliminated” more than 100 Russian troops and captured more than 30.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said the operation, code-named Veles, advanced more than 15 kilometres underground.
The operation involved the National Guard’s 2nd Khartiia Corps and other Ukrainian units.
Zelensky said Russian troops had previously used pipelines to move through Ukrainian positions, and Ukrainian forces turned that tactic against them.
The reported casualty and capture figures have not been independently verified, according to n-tv.
- Who
- Ukrainian forces, including the National Guard’s 2nd Khartiia Corps, carried out the operation. Zelensky said more than 100 Russian troops were eliminated and more than 30 captured.
- What
- Operation Veles used underground gas pipelines to advance against Russian positions.
- When
- Zelensky announced details on Oct. 27, 2026. The 2nd Khartiia Corps had reported the infiltration on Oct. 22.
- Where
- Near Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast, northeastern Ukraine.
- Why
- Ukraine said Russian forces had used the pipelines to infiltrate its positions, and Ukrainian troops turned that tactic against them.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Ukrainian battlefield monitoring group DeepState reported that Russian troops had used a gas pipeline to cross the Oskil River and penetrate Ukrainian defenses near Kupiansk.
The 2nd Khartiia Corps reported that Ukrainian troops had infiltrated Russian rear positions near Kupiansk through underground gas pipelines.
Zelensky announced that Operation Veles had advanced more than 15 kilometres underground and resulted in more than 100 Russian troops eliminated and more than 30 captured.
- Operation
- Veles
- Location
- Near Kupiansk, Kharkiv Oblast
- Underground advance
- More than 15 kilometres
- Russian troops eliminated
- More than 100, according to Zelensky
- Russian troops captured
- More than 30, according to Zelensky
- Ukrainian unit
- National Guard’s 2nd Khartiia Corps
5 sources
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What people are saying
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.
It is a strong operation, well planned and technology-driven. The Russians tried to use underground gas pipelines to advance past our positions.
We studied their experience, beat them with their own weapons and turned this threat into an advantage for our counteroffensive.
Posts on X
Our important operation in the Kupiansk sector. Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ihor Obolenskyi, and Pavlo Palisa reported on the initial results and progress of Operation Veles, carried out by the Khartiia 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine. More than 100 Russian occupiers have