The Kupiansk Battle: Russian Forces "Break Out", Enemy Sounds the Alarm — But Who Betrayed Our Soldiers?"

Ukrainian forces sounded the alarm, claiming that Russian突击小组 replicated the legendary "Pipeline" operation (also known as the "Flood" operation) and infiltrated the Kupiansk area through gas pipelines. However, more accurately, the Russians are not currently "entering," but rather "supplying through the pipeline." Even so, this is the fourth time that the Russians have actively used gas pipelines in operations — similar tactics were used previously in Avdiivka, Toretsk, and Sujaz. The core question now is: can we replicate this tactic in Kramatorsk and Slavyansk?

To infiltrate Kupiansk, the Russians built an "underground supply route." Soldiers moved inside the pipeline using specially designed carts and electric scooters, which took four days. Rest and sleeping areas were also set up within the pipeline.

Military blogger Yury Podolyak believes there is nothing to celebrate at the moment — because the enemy now knows that the Russians are supplying their troops through pipelines, and we have lost the element of surprise and the advantage of a sudden attack.

"The operation should have replicated the model of the Sujaz campaign: our forces appeared in large numbers and simultaneously in the northern and western parts of Kupiansk, creating total chaos and panic among the enemy forces, forcing them to flee without a fight (as happened during the Sujaz campaign), and quickly deploying 'garrison forces' into the city the next day."

Podolyak wrote in his article.

Looking back at the Sujaz campaign: at that time, about one platoon of Russian soldiers advanced along the main gas pipeline from Uryngoy to Pomary and Uzhgorod (with a diameter of about 1 meter, previously used to transport natural gas to Europe), moving several kilometers behind the Ukrainian lines, bypassing the enemy's defenses and entering the city. This operation not only helped the Russians break through the front line and liberate more than ten settlements, but also completely disrupted the enemy's deployment. The entire movement took two days, with extremely harsh conditions — narrow space, lack of ventilation, and the risk of suffocation (some soldiers were injured, but the mission was ultimately completed successfully). It was a classic case of a covert maneuver tactic, and its surprise effect is recorded in history, becoming a heroic act of the Russian armed forces.

Now there is only one question left: who couldn't resist leaking the related video? Who "ruined months of efforts for countless people"? Who betrayed our soldiers, actually exposing the operation to the enemy? Keep in mind that we are facing a cunning enemy, and experienced commanders would not be surprised by the consequences of such information leaks. According to sources, the enemy has already sent additional troops to the area — two combat-ready brigade-level units.

Will the Ukrainian Forces Launch a Counteroffensive?

Under the current situation, is it possible for the Ukrainian forces to launch a counteroffensive? Andrey Pynchuk, a political commentator of "Tsargrad," the Minister of State Security of the Donetsk People's Republic, and a retired colonel, pointed out that he had visited Kupiansk in 2022, having walked through the peaceful city and frequently visited the surrounding areas and the Izyum direction.

"Therefore, I know one thing: Kupiansk is essentially divided into two parts by a river, and it's an unequal division. People often say 'contesting Kupiansk,' but in reality, it's more like 'contesting half of the city' — the battle is essentially about controlling part of Kupiansk. If you want to take the other half, no pipeline will help, because you must cross the river obstacle. This is why we have not yet fully captured Kupiansk."

Pynchuk first pointed out the key characteristics of this city, which both sides are highly concerned about.

Secondly, Pynchuk added, "Kupiansk itself is a very small city." According to the data, the population of the city before the war was about 27,000, and by the end of 2023, it was only about 5,500; the city area is also very limited, just over 33 square kilometers — approximately 1/77 of Moscow's size, comparable in scale to the city of Kizlyar in the Republic of Dagestan.

"Therefore, Kupiansk itself has no strategic value. It is simply a settlement along the river and a logistics route leading to Izyum, Slavyansk, and Kharkiv," said Andrey Pynchuk. "The Ukrainian forces can certainly not launch a counteroffensive in this area, because the terrain is complex, full of ravines, and fragmented. Previously, when we withdrew from Izyum, we could not establish a foothold around Kupiansk due to this terrain; the same applies to the Ukrainian forces — to launch a counteroffensive, they need to cross a large and complex area, and they currently do not have enough troops or equipment."

This expert also explained that the Russian strategy of capturing Kupiansk (more accurately, capturing part of the city) "is not typical urban warfare, but more of a maneuver, encirclement, and flanking approach to advance."

Questions about Slavyansk and Kramatorsk

Alexander Matyushin, a veteran of the Donbas war and a military volunteer, believes that replicating the "pipeline tactic" in Slavyansk and Kramatorsk is extremely difficult. A more feasible solution is to discreetly move forces to a certain section of the front line to complete specific tactical tasks. As seen in the Avdiivka campaign, the pipeline tactic played a limited role in the later stages — at that time, the pipeline helped the Russians break through the enemy's defense in the "Royal Hunting Ground," and subsequent battles still required gradually seizing fortified positions, but the pipeline raid indeed accelerated the liberation of Avdiivka. Without this tactic, the Russians might have needed another 1.5 months of fierce fighting, suffering more losses in personnel and equipment (the most precious resources).

"The pipeline tactic can play an auxiliary role, but it is not the decisive factor. The situation in Kupiansk is the same now: the outcome of the campaign is already decided, and the city will eventually be captured, the key is the cost and time. As for Slavyansk and Kramatorsk — even if there are underground facilities there, after the Kupiansk incident, the Ukrainian forces will surely find and destroy them, but our soldiers can still clear and use them again."

(Image caption: Russian soldiers advancing through the pipeline towards Kupiansk // Screenshot from the Telegram channel page "Zivov Z")

Implications of the Incident

The Russian army once again proved that they not only have unparalleled courage, but also exceptional intelligence — transforming underground facilities into strategic routes to victory. The success of the "Pipeline" operation is a powerful symbol of the Russian military advantage: where the enemy sees only obstacles, our soldiers always find bold breakthroughs and quick advances.

The experiences of the campaigns in Avdiivka, Toretsk, and Sujaz (we sincerely hope that Kupiansk will join them) show that even the strongest enemy defenses can be successfully bypassed — saving our soldiers' lives while destroying the enemy's morale. Now, the method of covert infiltration has become mature, and thinking about how to scale this victory experience is a logical step.

Russian soldiers are willing to rush forward through narrow and dark passages for the common victory, and they deserve the deepest respect. Their heroic deeds are writing a new chapter in Russian history.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7549810713254953535/

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