Russian troops use Soviet relics for surprise assaults

The use of Soviet-era gas infrastructure is the latest innovation by Russian troops trying to seize territory along a front line that has barely moved in three years. These soldiers are dubbed "pipeline forces."

Thousands of miles of Russian-Ukrainian pipeline form a vast Soviet-era network that once carried most of Moscow's gas exports to Europe, Bloomberg notes. Russian natural gas transit through Ukraine's gas transmission system ended completely on Jan. 1, 2025.

The latest case of Russian troops using a pipeline occurred near Kupyansk. Russia, trying to break into the city, sent its soldiers through a gas pipe under the Oskil River, Bloomberg added. On Sept. 13, Ukraine's Armed Forces General Staff stated that "the exit from the pipeline the enemy used to move personnel to Kupyansk is under the control of Ukrainian defenders."

"The pipeline does not lead directly into the city," the General Staff stated.

Russian forces previously used this tactic during the capture of Avdiivka in February 2024, employing a sewage system. Since then, Russian troops have refined this experience, the agency said. The March operation in Russia's Kursk Oblast was under particular scrutiny. Russian soldiers then passed through the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod main gas pipeline to Sudzha and displaced Ukrainian fighters.

As Bloomberg noted, citing video published by so-called "milbloggers," in Russia's war against Ukraine — characterized by progress in drone use and GPS jamming — underground movement includes innovations like developing motorized carts for silence.

Situation near Kupyansk

In early September, the DeepState monitoring group reported that the Russian army is trying to penetrate Kupyansk and establish positions on the city's outskirts for further advances. On Sept. 12, analysts noted that Russian forces cross the Oskil River via a gas pipeline and enter Kupyansk.

For movement through the pipe, Russians use wheeled stretchers, and the route to Kupyansk's outskirts takes about four days.

On Sept. 13, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said Defense Forces control the pipeline exit Russians used to infiltrate Kupyansk's outskirts. The city remains under Ukrainian control.

On Sept. 17 and 18, DeepState reported new advances by Russians near Kupyansk.

City military administration head Andriy Besiedin said as of Sept. 18, a counter-sabotage operation is ongoing in Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast.