Khartiia: in Operation "Veles" near Kupiansk Ukrainian forces moved more than 15 km through a gas pipe into the Russian rear, capturing more than 30 soldiers
Place: Kharkiv region, Kupiansk directionRegion: Kharkiv and Kharkiv regionautomatic summary
Where the versions diverge
Only Ukrainian sources report the operation, citing the Khartiia corps and the Joint Forces; Russian agencies and Russia's Defence Ministry in the selection do not mention it. The Kyiv Independent gives the same figures but stresses that it cannot verify them. Tregubov describes the operation more modestly than the headlines about "more than 15 km into the rear": as clearing a stretch of an old pipe so that Russian troops could no longer use it covertly.
What Russia reports
no reports found
What Ukraine reports
automatic summary Ukrainska Pravda, Suspilne and RBC-Ukraine, citing the National Guard's 2nd Khartiia Corps, report the underground Operation "Veles" in the Kupiansk direction: defence forces moved more than 15 km through underground utilities into the rear of Russian troops while advancing above ground with drone support, preventing the enemy from getting behind Kupiansk. According to the corps, more than 30 soldiers were taken prisoner and total Russian losses exceeded 100. Corps commander Ihor Obolienskyi says the Russians intended to use gas pipelines to get into the rear, so the Ukrainian troops "went underground themselves". HUR units, including the Freedom of Russia Legion and the RDK, also took part. Joint Forces spokesman Viktor Trehubov told Suspilne that it was an old empty pipe north of Kupiansk running across the Oskil river, which Russian troops used for covert movements and evacuation while shielding themselves with civilians; the aim was to deny them that option.
“Українські військові взяли в полон понад 30 окупантів.”
“Росіяни мали намір використати газові шляхопроводи для проникнення в тил наших військ. Тоді ми самі пішли під землю.”
“Втрати противника перевищили 100.”
“Цю трубу росіяни використовували як для прихованих пересувань, так і для окремих провокацій.”
- Понад 15 км під землею в тил росіян: "Хартія" розповіла про операцію "Велес" під Куп’янськом — Ukrainska Pravda, 22 October, 08:04
- Сили оборони просунулися на понад 15 км під землею на Куп'янському напрямку — Suspilne, 22 October, 08:08
- Сили оборони провели підземну операцію під Куп’янськом і взяли в полон 30 росіян — RBC-Ukraine, 22 October, 08:59
- Операція «Велес» на Куп'янщині: ЗСУ перешкодили військам РФ ходити трубою — Suspilne, 22 October, 10:01
What independent sources report
automatic summary The Kyiv Independent relays Khartiia's claim of an advance of about 15 km through gas pipelines, more than 30 prisoners and more than 100 Russian casualties, noting that it could not independently verify those figures. It recalls that Russian troops have repeatedly used gas pipelines in the Kupiansk sector, including in January, and that, according to the corps, when retreating they led a group of civilians, including children and elderly people, through the pipe.
“The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify those figures.”
- Ukrainian troops infiltrate Russian rear through gas pipelines near Kupiansk, Khartiia says — Kyiv Independent, 22 October, 10:42
Confirmation
Confirmation: claimed by one side only
Only one side reports the event (no independent international source); its statements are presented as statements.
Automatic summary, may contain errors. Short summaries are written by a language model with no human review; titles, summaries and the “Where the versions diverge” block in English are an automatic translation of the Russian originals. Quotes are verbatim (checked by code), in their original language, with a link. The “Where the versions diverge” block only records differences in wording and figures and does not say who is right. Publication times are shown in Europe/Berlin time. Report an error in this card