How Russian troops use pipelines to attack Sumy and what happens next — NV exclusive

A year ago, Russian forces infiltrated the area near the city of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk Oblast through a gas pipeline. Russian propaganda turned the operation into a near-symbol of the battle for Kursk, portraying it as an “incredible success” of underground assault units. Later, the fighting shifted to the border areas of Sumy Oblast, and Russian forces again attempted to advance through pipelines.

The myth of the pipe. How Russian propaganda created an “incredible victory”

“Operation Pipe” or “Operation Stream” is one of the products of Russian propaganda that emerged during the final stage of the Kursk operation. In March 2025, Ukrainian forces in Kursk Oblast faced an extremely difficult situation due to logistical problems and constant enemy fire control. On March 8, Russian pro-government sources first claimed that their soldiers had traveled 15 kilometers through a gas pipeline with a diameter of 1.4 meters, “emerged behind Ukrainian forces near the city of Sudzha and established positions.”

Accounts from Russian state-aligned media and Ukrainian soldiers differ. According to the myth, Russia moved more than 800 troops, who immediately after exiting the pipeline carried out a “highly successful” rear attack that allegedly became a key factor in returning Sudzha to Russian control.

Ukrainian data, however, tell a different story: Russian forces attempted to covertly move about 100 infantry troops, some of whom died due to harsh conditions inside the pipeline, some were killed at the point of exit, and the rest entered battle in a disorganized manner nearby. This version is supported by footage of Ukrainian drone and artillery strikes on the pipeline exit point.

The New York Times notes that while the pipeline raid is disputed, it “coincided with Russian breakthroughs of Ukrainian defenses in several areas of Kursk Oblast.”

In any case, the “Operation Pipe” narrative and the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from Sudzha fueled myths about the extraordinary success of underground fighters. Russians installed replicas of the pipeline in various cities, made tattoos featuring it and even composed poems and songs about it.

In the year since the fighting for Sudzha, Russian forces have repeatedly attempted to replicate such advances through pipelines, including in Sumy Oblast. In the summer of 2025, as the situation remained threatening for Ukraine’s Defense Forces, one of Ukraine’s high-tech units was deployed to the Sumy direction.

“We can even see a pack of cigarettes near the pipeline.” What Ukraine’s Ochi battalion does

Late February 2026. Sumy Oblast is hit by record snowfall. A serviceman of the 425th Separate Unmanned Systems Battalion Ochi makes his way through snow more than a meter deep near the position. In his hands is a reconnaissance drone that is about to be launched. This time, the crew must identify an important enemy target on Russian territory and adjust a strike.

In general, UAV reconnaissance missions are carried out by almost every unit of the Defense Forces — from large brigades to separate battalions or special forces units. However, they usually operate within their area of responsibility. If a brigade is responsible for defending a particular settlement, its reconnaissance drones will monitor the line of contact and logistics around that area. Here, the situation is different.

In a dugout hidden under several layers of earth and snow, an NV journalist and the crew closely monitor the operation. Details are not disclosed for security reasons, but it can be said that the task of adjusting a strike on a target in Russia was completed, and the reconnaissance aircraft returned to base.

Overall, the Ochi battalion can be described as “special forces” of reconnaissance, although it does not officially hold such status. Its work goes beyond monitoring tree lines or roads near enemy positions. Ochi conducts long-range reconnaissance missions, sometimes over distances exceeding 100 kilometers. Their targets include enemy air defense systems, large electronic warfare systems, radio intelligence stations, command posts and more. If for a reconnaissance crew of a line brigade detecting and destroying an air defense system worth tens of millions of dollars might be the main event of the year, for Ochi fighters it is routine.

In January 2026, Ochi ranked third among all Defense Forces units in the Delta system’s intelligence rating. This means the unit has top performance both in detected targets and in completing other tasks.

The battalion is also largely responsible for monitoring the well-known pipeline.

“In fact, an entire network of such pipelines runs through Kursk and Sumy oblasts, which the enemy has tried and continues to try to use for covert underground movement. It is important to understand several things. First, all these pipelines are well known — they are mapped and displayed in situational awareness systems. The enemy’s claims that these are secret routes we do not know about are nonsense. Second, many of these networks are already destroyed or collapsed. This happened earlier as a result of combat operations, but they continue to degrade. Third, even if the enemy tries to use the pipeline, they end up in the gray zone between our positions and theirs. There is no question of them bypassing our entire front and emerging deep in the rear,” said a company commander of the Ochi battalion, call sign Medoid.

The battalion’s task is not only to detect occupiers emerging from the pipeline. Ochi builds control over this asset in a much more strategic way.

“As soon as we arrived in this sector, we carefully studied the area, the pipeline itself and enemy infrastructure around it. The enemy tried to set up positions right next to the pipeline, dig tunnels and create access points in various sections, sometimes even installing powerful fans to pump air inside. We know all of this. We also know the points where they could theoretically emerge. Moreover, we have high-tech tools that allow us to conduct very detailed reconnaissance around the pipeline and track changes. To the point that we can detect a pack of cigarettes if it appears in a suspicious location,” Medoid said.

The commander demonstrated to journalists what data from such reconnaissance tools look like. This is no longer classified, as it contains outdated information, but the level of detail remains striking.

Fighters and commanders also recalled one of the latest mass attempts by the enemy to break through via the pipeline, which took place in early February 2026. Medoid said the assault group consisted of well-trained troops who knew what they were doing.

“We had comprehensive data on preparations for such an attempt in advance. We knew certain points they could use as exits to the surface. We have remote mining capabilities and other means — we won’t disclose all the details. There was also a strong unit directly responsible for this sector. We helped with targeting, while that unit destroyed the enemy. Some of the occupiers were captured. As far as we know, some may have died inside the pipeline before reaching the surface,” Medoid said.

On Feb. 9, the 8th Air Assault Corps reported that paratroopers from the 71st Separate Airmobile Brigade killed 22 invaders who attempted to move through a pipeline in Sumy Oblast.

What awaits Ochi in 2026

Although Ochi specializes in reconnaissance, in the near future the unit is expected to expand its use of strike capabilities. Some companies already operate strike UAVs, but their number and variety will increase. Full-cycle crews may eventually emerge, capable of both detecting and destroying targets effectively.

An NV journalist also spoke with a crew operating a Backfire strike UAV. The team is mastering a fixed-wing drone that flies along a pre-programmed route, delivers a high-precision munition drop and returns to base. This approach could prove more cost-effective, as one aircraft, with proper use and planning, can carry out multiple strike missions, unlike kamikaze drones.

The new version of Backfire used by Ochi can cover distances of up to 200 kilometers and carry payloads weighing up to 17 kilograms — equivalent, for example, to a 120 mm mortar round. Test drops have demonstrated very high accuracy.

This is not the only strike capability used by the 425th battalion. Fighters have also mastered and are expanding the use of various drones from the Bulava family.

In addition, 2026 could become a defining year in Ochi’s history. According to NV sources in Ukraine’s Ground Forces, the 425th battalion is expected to expand to the level of a regiment.