In an audacious and unconventional assault, Russian special forces reportedly crawled inside a gas pipeline to launch a surprise attack on Ukrainian units from behind in the Kursk region. According to Ukraine’s military, this daring move saw Russian troops infiltrating an unused 1.4-meter-wide pipeline to gain a tactical edge in the ongoing conflict.
A High-Stakes Pipeline Infiltration
This extraordinary tactic came as Moscow attempted to reclaim parts of its border province that had fallen into Ukrainian hands during a stunning offensive last August. Reports indicate that Russian soldiers traversed nearly 15 kilometers inside the pipeline—previously used to transport gas to Europe—before emerging near Sudzha to engage Ukrainian forces.
A pro-Kremlin blogger claimed that some Russian troops had spent days inside the pipeline before launching their strike. The town of Sudzha, which houses around 5,000 residents, is home to significant gas transfer and measuring stations that once played a crucial role in Russian natural gas exports to Europe via Ukraine.
Fierce Battles in Sudzha
Another prominent war blogger, known as "Two Majors," detailed the ongoing clashes, asserting that Russian troops successfully infiltrated Sudzha using the pipeline. Russian Telegram channels even circulated images allegedly depicting special forces operatives clad in gas masks, navigating what appeared to be the interior of a large pipe. However, these claims remain unverified by independent sources, including Euronews.
Ukraine’s General Staff later confirmed that Russian “sabotage and assault groups” had attempted to use the pipeline to establish a foothold outside Sudzha. In a Telegram post, Ukrainian officials stated that Russian troops were “detected in a timely manner” and were met with a counterattack involving rockets and artillery.
“At present, Russian special forces are being detected, blocked, and destroyed. The enemy’s losses in Sudzha are very high,” the General Staff reported, highlighting the intensity of the battle.
Ukraine’s Bold Offensive: The Largest Attack on Russia Since WWII
Ukraine’s cross-border incursion into Kursk last August marked the most significant attack on Russian territory since World War II. Ukrainian forces quickly captured 1,000 square kilometers of land, including the strategically vital town of Sudzha. Hundreds of Russian soldiers were taken prisoner in the process.
Analysts believe Ukraine’s bold maneuver aimed to pressure Russia into future peace negotiations while forcing Moscow to redirect troops from its grueling offensive in eastern Ukraine. To counter Ukraine’s gains, Moscow reportedly deployed around 50,000 troops, including North Korean soldiers, to reclaim lost ground.
On Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry announced that its forces had taken control of the village of Lebedevka, located roughly 12 kilometers northwest of Sudzha. Russian officials claimed they had inflicted significant defeats on multiple Ukrainian units in and around the town. However, these assertions lacked immediate confirmation from Kyiv.
France Steps Up Military Aid to Ukraine
As the fighting rages on, Ukraine continues to receive international military support. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu revealed on Sunday that France would use profits from frozen Russian assets to finance an additional 195 million euros in arms for Ukraine. This new package marks another installment in a series of military aid efforts funded through this mechanism.
In an interview with La Tribune Dimanche, Lecornu confirmed that Paris would provide Ukraine with additional 155 mm artillery shells and glide bombs for the Mirage 2000 fighter jets previously supplied to Kyiv. France’s decision triggered an angry response from Moscow, with the speaker of Russia’s parliament, Vyacheslav Volodin, warning that Paris “will answer for its actions” and would eventually be forced to return what he called “stolen” funds.
Ukrainian Drone Strikes on Russian Oil Infrastructure
Meanwhile, Ukrainian drone strikes continue to target critical Russian infrastructure. Overnight into Sunday, Russian officials and Telegram channels reported that Ukrainian drones had attacked oil facilities in the country’s south and central regions.
One drone reportedly hit an oil depot in Cheboksary, a city on the Volga River approximately 1,000 kilometers from the Ukrainian border. The region’s governor, Oleg Nikolaev, confirmed the attack but assured that there were no injuries, though the depot would require reconstruction.
Additional footage circulating on Russian Telegram channels showed what seemed to be a fire at or near one of Russia’s largest oil refineries in Ryazan. The Telegram news channel Shot cited local residents who claimed to have heard multiple explosions near the refinery overnight.
In response, Ryazan Governor Pavel Malkov announced that Ukrainian drones had been shot down in the area, asserting that there were no casualties or infrastructure damage. However, Ukraine has not commented on the reported strikes, and Euronews has not independently verified the claims.
The Ongoing Struggle for Strategic Dominance
As the war grinds on, the battle for strategic locations like Sudzha continues to highlight the evolving tactics employed by both sides. From the high-risk infiltration of a gas pipeline to large-scale artillery battles, the conflict remains dynamic and unpredictable. With Ukraine’s forces continuing to push the limits of conventional warfare and Russia seeking to reclaim lost territory, the situation remains fluid.
International involvement, including France’s new military aid, further complicates the landscape. As the world watches, the stakes continue to rise, with both nations locked in an intense battle that shows no signs of slowing down.
For now, the pipeline infiltration stands as one of the most extraordinary military maneuvers of the war—an operation that underscores the lengths to which both sides are willing to go in this high-stakes conflict.
Login