WSJ: An Underground Battle Deep Within Soviet Pipelines
- 22.10.2026, 14:45
- 1,186
Russian and Ukrainian troops are engaged in fierce underground battles.
Russian and Ukrainian military forces are using underground tunnels to evade drone surveillance and penetrate enemy rear areas. In the Kupyansk area, fighters from Ukraine’s 13th “Charter” Brigade are conducting Operation “Veles,” attempting to flush the Russians out of the pipes, which the Russians have turned into shelters and covert movement routes, according to The Wall Street Journal (translation by Charter97.org).
Inside the pipes, which are about 1.2 meters in diameter, Russian troops are building barricades and setting up positions. The fighting is taking place at extremely close range.
Ukrainian units initially tried to destroy the pipe exits with artillery and airstrikes. However, Russian forces quickly dug new passages. As a result, the standoff turned into a sort of “game of whack-a-mole.”
Thick steel and a layer of soil make it difficult to destroy underground structures. Therefore, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are using ground-based drones equipped with explosives and remotely controlled machine guns. According to the “Charter” Brigade, Ukrainian forces have captured more than 30 Russian soldiers and killed over 100.
The proliferation of drones is changing the tactics of both armies; the constant threat of detection from the air is forcing soldiers to seek shelter underground. Russia is forming units specialized in underground combat, while Ukraine is using protected spaces to house headquarters, hospitals, and training facilities.
Underground infrastructure is becoming a separate battlefield, and military experts expect such operations to expand further.
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