Russia Repeats Kursk Tactic: Troops Try to Enter Kupiansk Through Gas Pipeline

Russian forces have tried to use a gas pipeline north of Kupiansk to infiltrate Ukrainian positions, but the route has been damaged and remains under the control of Ukrainian defenders.

According to Suspilne on September 13, Yurii Fedorenko, commander of the 429th Achilles Drone Regiment, confirmed that Russian troops moved through a section of pipeline near the occupied settlement of Lyman Pershyi. He said Ukrainian forces have since disrupted the route.

“Indeed, the enemy began to use the gas pipeline to move equipment. We started recording their exits from the pipeline and, as a result, brought it under fire control,” Fedorenko told Suspilne. He added that Defense Forces had damaged the infrastructure and closed valves to render it unusable.

Earlier, the monitoring project DeepState published footage claiming Russian soldiers were moving through the pipeline using carts and electric scooters. Analysts described the route as a “logistical artery” allowing groups to reach the forest north of Kupiansk before dispersing toward the city.

Officials from the Kupiansk Military Administration denied that Russian troops had entered the city itself. In a televised interview, head of the administration Andrii Besedin stated:

“There are no Russians in Kupiansk. Indeed, fighting is taking place on the outskirts. Every day and every hour we are in contact with our military, and they are giving a worthy response.”

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also addressed the reports. The military clarified that several pipelines exist near Kupiansk, three of which have already been damaged and flooded, while the exit of the fourth remains under Ukrainian control.

“The exit from the pipeline, which the enemy used to move personnel to Kupiansk, is under the control of Ukrainian defenders. The pipeline does not lead directly into the city,” the statement said.

The General Staff reported that in two weeks of operations near Kupiansk, Russian forces have lost 395 personnel, including 288 killed, with additional soldiers captured. Counter-sabotage operations are ongoing inside the city, while search-and-strike actions continue around the outskirts.

Kupiansk, a city in Kharkiv region, was occupied by Russian forces in 2022 and later liberated during Ukraine’s autumn offensive. Since then, it has remained a strategic target for Russian assaults.

Earlier, in March 2025, Russian forces carried out an operation that some sources referred to as “Potok” (“Pipeline”) during their offensive in the Kursk region, using an inactive section of the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod gas pipeline.

According to various estimates, about 100 soldiers moved through the pipeline, which was no longer carrying gas, to unexpectedly appear behind Ukrainian positions near Sudzha.

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Russian Troops Attempt to Advance Through Gas Pipeline in Kursk Region

Mar 09, 2025 11:07

The operation required significant engineering preparation: residual gas was pumped out, ventilation was installed, and reports indicated that carts or electric scooters were used where the pipeline’s height allowed.

However, Ukrainian sources stated that the impact of this tactic was limited due to timely detection and counterattacks. Ukrainian commanders reported that forces emerging from the pipeline suffered losses—by some accounts, up to 80% of the group that attempted to infiltrate through the pipeline on the Sudzha axis.

The operation also drew greater attention to the vulnerability of such supply and infiltration routes, prompting Ukrainian units to strengthen monitoring of gas pipelines and to take preventive control measures.

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