Ukraine claims capture of Russian troops in gas pipelines near Kupiansk

Ukraine’s Khartia Corps said its troops traveled about 15 kilometers underground through gas pipelines near Kupiansk during Operation Veles and captured more than 30 Russian servicemen. The claims could not be independently verified.

Confrontation between Russian and Ukrainian units on the Kupiansk front in Kharkiv region has moved into underground gas pipelines. The Ukrainian side released a video showing what it said were Ukrainian soldiers detaining Russian troops who had attempted to move through the pipes.

Ukraine’s Second National Guard Corps, Khartia, announced an operation called Veles on October 21. The corps said Ukrainian troops traveled about 15 kilometers through underground gas pipelines and emerged behind Russian forces, combining the underground advance with ground operations and drone strikes.

“The war went underground”

“The Russians intended to use the gas pipelines to infiltrate behind our forces. That is why we went underground ourselves,” said Khartia commander Brigadier General Ihor Obolenskyi. The corps claimed that more than 30 Russian servicemen were captured during the operation and that Russian losses exceeded 100 people.

The claims could not be independently verified. At the time of publication, the Russian side had not publicly commented on the operation.

In another video, Ukrainian soldiers can be seen moving through a pipe on improvised carts.

Pipelines as a route

According to the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have used pipelines on the Kupiansk front as key supply and infiltration routes since at least September 2025. In January, Ukrainian soldiers said they had stopped an assault by about 50 Russian troops attempting to advance through the Soyuz gas pipeline.

Поврежденное здание в Купянске (архив)

Khartia also said that retreating Russian troops had led a group of civilians, including children and elderly people, into the Shebelinka–Ostrogozhsk gas pipeline. These claims also could not be independently verified.

Ukraine claims capture of Russian troops in gas pipelines near Kupiansk