According to Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger, Russian special forces, known as Spetsnaz, infiltrated Ukrainian territory by traveling several kilometers through a major gas pipeline near the town of Sudzha. The operation, part of a broader offensive in the western Russian region of Kursk, aimed to surprise Ukrainian forces by attacking them from the rear. Podolyaka claimed that some Russian troops spent days inside the pipeline before emerging near Sudzha to launch their assault.
The Russian Defence Ministry, in its daily update on the Kursk situation, confirmed that its forces had retaken the village of Lebedevka and seized Novenke, a small settlement across the border in Ukraine’s Sumy region. Pro-Russian war blogger "Two Majors" reported that a significant battle was underway for control of Sudzha, with Russian forces gaining an advantage by using the gas pipeline as an unconventional infiltration route. Russian Telegram channels shared images of Spetsnaz operatives wearing gas masks and headlamps inside what appeared to be a large pipeline.
Sudzha, a strategic location, houses major gas transfer and measuring stations on a pipeline that historically carried Russian natural gas into Ukraine’s transmission system for export to Europe. The area’s infrastructure has now become a focal point in the ongoing conflict.
Ukraine Claims Repelled Attack, but Russian Advances Continue
Ukraine’s General Staff acknowledged the Russian attack from the pipeline but asserted that Ukrainian airborne troops successfully repelled the assault. However, the broader context of the conflict suggests mounting challenges for Ukrainian forces. In a significant offensive last August, Ukrainian troops captured approximately 1,300 square kilometers of Russia’s Kursk region. Kiev stated that the operation aimed to secure leverage for future negotiations and divert Russian military resources from eastern Ukraine.
In recent weeks, however, Russian forces have regained momentum, pushing Ukrainian troops back across the Kursk front. Analysts warn that tens of thousands of Ukrainian soldiers risk being encircled as Russian advances continue. Pro-Russian blogger Yuri Kotenok claimed that Ukrainian forces are gradually retreating from Sudzha, moving closer to the border.
Some military experts, however, question the strategic value of Ukraine’s earlier offensive into Kursk, suggesting it was primarily a propaganda effort to reassure European allies. They argue that the operation came at a high cost without delivering significant long-term gains. As the conflict intensifies, the use of unconventional tactics, such as the pipeline infiltration, underscores the evolving nature of the war.
The situation remains fluid, with both sides claiming tactical successes while the broader struggle for control of the region continues.