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Operation Flow

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Operation Flow
Part of the Kursk offensive (2024–2025)
Map showing the pipeline and exit point location
TypeTunnel raid
Location
Sudzha, Kursk Oblast
ObjectiveInfiltration behind enemy lines
Date8 March 2025
Executed byAkhmat special forces
11th Guards Air Assault Brigade
106th Guards Airborne Division
30th Motor Rifle Regiment
Veterans Brigade
Vostok Brigade
Naval infantry

Operation Flow (Russian: Операция "Поток"),[1] also called Operation Pipe,[2] was a military operation carried out by Russian troops who crawled through the disused Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline with the goal of attacking Ukrainian units from the rear and surrounding them near Sudzha during the Russian counteroffensive into the Ukrainian-held part of the Kursk region.[3] The operation possibly involved fighters from the Akhmat special forces, the 11th Guards Air Assault Brigade, the 30th Motor Rifle Regiment, the Veterans [ru] and Vostok volunteer brigades, the 106th Guards Airborne Division, and Naval infantry.[4][5][unreliable source][6][7]

Chronology

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Background and preparation

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In August 2024, the Ukrainian Armed Forces invaded Kursk Oblast and occupied a large part of it. By mid-February 2025, Russian forces managed to retake more than half of the lost territory,[8] isolating Ukrainian forces in a narrow wedge centered around the town of Sudzha and its surrounding settlements.[9] The town is located near the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod pipeline, through which Russian gas was supplied to Europe until Ukraine terminated all Russian transit on January 1, 2025.[10]

According to a Russian newspaper Izvestia, the preparations for a pipeline raid began in January.[11] This strategy was already used by the Veterans brigade in the capture of Avdiivka, when a group of Russian fighters managed to get into the section of the city occupied by Ukrainian troops through a partially flooded drainage pipe.[12][13] They were given the task of attacking the Ukrainians in the rear in Sudzha and force them to retreat.[14]

The Veterans spent weeks digging a 500-meter long underground tunnel to conceal the entrance to the pipeline. Several days were spent pumping out the residual gas.[15] The oxygen level inside the pipe was low, so soldiers were instructed to stay at least 10 meters apart, though many troops still huddled together in tight groups due to stress. To compensate for the lack of oxygen, vents were made in the pipe, but they were often filled with earth.[11] The lack of oxygen and toxic fumes led to several people getting hospitalized, with some reportedly dying from methane poisoning.[6] According to a Russian commander involved in the operation, call sign "Zombie", the pipeline was equipped with toilets, was filled with oxygen, and contained ammunition and food.[9] Cargo carts and e-scooters were used to move supplies through the pipe.[11] Soldiers moved through the pipe unarmed, receiving weapons only at the exit point.[15]

Execution

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On March 8, 2025, at around 05:00–06:00, the assault party emerged from the pipe[16] and the Russian Armed Forces launched a large-scale counteroffensive in Kursk Oblast.[17] On the same day, pro-Russian military bloggers and Ukrainian sources reported that Russian servicemen had traveled nearly 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) through a 1.4-meter diameter gas pipeline, reached the rear of the Ukrainian military near the city of Sudzha, and dug in, walking in the pipe for two days and spending four more days underground waiting for the order to attack.[6][12][18] Videos that surfaced online on Telegram show Russian soldiers "marching" equipped with gas masks,[19] while others also report soldiers cursing and complaining about the commanders who sent them on the mission.[20] At this point, Ukrainian military blogger Yuriy Butusov said the deployed Russian force consisted of an assault company,[21] the Russian forces that were sent on this mission may have numbered to 600[22][23]—800 men,[24][25] with around 100 emerging from the pipe.[26][27]

Russian soldiers that emerged from the pipe had marked themselves with blue tape, same color as the Ukrainian army uses, in order to deceive the Ukrainian forces and make them think "that their own units were advancing". According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), this may amount to perfidy, which is considered a war crime.[28][29]

According to Ukrainska Pravda, Ukrainian soldiers were aware of the Russian plan five days in advance, after the Russians began clearing the exit zone with glide bombs, but their attention was diverted by a Russian breakthrough near Kurilovka south of Sudzha, and they were unable to blow up or block the pipe in advance due to poor logistics.[16] According to Ukrainian officer Myroslav Hai, commanders of a Ukrainian air assault brigade set up an ambush and inflicted "very heavy" losses on the Russians,[30][31] possibly up to 80% of their force,[32] claiming to have repulsed them.

According to other sources, the operation managed to achieve a certain element of surprise, since the use of the pipeline provided protection from surveillance by Ukrainian drones. The War Zone notes that it is likely that after exiting the pipe, at least some of the fighters joined other Russian troops already in the Sudzha area.[14]

According to The Financial Times, after the raid, the Ukrainian side began to retreat.[9] Ukrainian soldiers interviewed by The Wall Street Journal said that the pipeline raid caused panic among Ukrainian forces and prompted some field commanders to start retreating without an order from their higher-ups to avoid being captured.[33] Soldiers interviewed by Ukrainska Pravda also said that the raid, combined with Russians destroying bridges around Sudzha and attacking on the flanks, forced them to retreat prematurely.[16]

On March 10, the Russian side stated that the operation had disoriented Ukrainian units, which led to the liberation of several settlements.[34]

Strength and losses

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According to Russian officials, 800 fighters were engaged in crawling the pipeline.[35] The War Zone reprints reports of total of 100 Russian soldiers participating,[14] although Ukrainian sources report up to 100 soldiers as emerging from the pipe near Sudzha.[36] According to Ukrainian military, Russian losses were heavy, with some suffocating in the pipe, and only 90 surviving the crawl, the exit and making it into Sudzha.[35]

Analysis

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The War Zone calls the pipeline raid an "extraordinary mission" and although its results are unclear, it highlights the importance for Russian authorities of recapturing the Kursk region territory captured by Ukrainian troops.[14]

The Russian covert manoeuvre, which allowed them to bypass Ukrainian defences undetected, highlights Russia’s evolving battlefield tactics in a conflict that has increasingly relied on unconventional warfare.[37]

The publication Meduza notes that during the operation, Russian troops entered the rear of Ukrainian positions, although the data on how successful the operation was is contradictory.[38]

Radio Liberty draws attention to the fact that after March 8, Ukrainian troops lost significant territories in the Kursk region, in some places there was a sudden withdrawal of Ukrainian Armed Forces units, and on March 13, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the return of control over Sudzha. However, the role of the attack through the pipeline in these events is still unclear.[13]

The New York Times notes that while the pipeline raid is controversial, it coincided with breakthroughs in Ukrainian defenses by Russian troops in several areas of the Kursk region.[39]

According to military analyst Pasi Paroinen from Black Bird Group, although the exact number of participants in the operation cannot be estimated, the raid led to confusion and disarray in the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and probably triggered them to start a retreat.[40]

The operation was deemed a "suprise operation" by Russian media.[41][35][importance?]

[edit]
  • "How Apti Alaudinov Planned Russian Troops Death Defying Kursk Pipeline Mission". Times Now World on Youtube. March 11, 2025. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025.

References

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  1. ^ "Герасимов рассказал Путину об операции «Поток» по освобождению Суджи" [Gerasimov told Putin about Operation "Potok" to free Sudzha] (in Russian). Kommersant. March 12, 2025. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025.
  2. ^ "A pipeline surprise: Meduza reviews Russia's reported breakthrough against Ukrainian forces in Kursk". Meduza. March 11, 2025. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025.
  3. ^ Faulconbridge, Guy; Light, Felix (March 9, 2025). "Russian forces take three new settlements in drive to oust Ukrainian forces in Kursk". Reuters. Archived from the original on March 14, 2025.
  4. ^ "Стали известны подробности прохода бойцов ВС РФ по трубопроводу в тыл ВСУ под Суджей" [Details of the passage of Russian Armed Forces soldiers through a pipeline to the rear of the Ukrainian Armed Forces near Sudzha have become known] (in Russian). Izvestia. March 10, 2025. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025.
  5. ^ "Наступление российских войск в Курской области и операция «Труба»: что известно" [The offensive of Russian troops in the Kursk region and Operation "Pipe": what is known] (in Russian). RTVI. March 9, 2025. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Russian troops reportedly spent days crawling through gas pipeline to slip behind Ukrainian lines in Kursk region". Meduza. March 10, 2025. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025.
  7. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 12, 2025". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  8. ^ Faulconbridge, Guy; Kelly, Lidia (2025-03-10). "Russian forces advance in Kursk and curl behind Ukrainian forces". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  9. ^ a b c Ivanova, Polina (March 13, 2025). "From daring invasion to rapid retreat: the end of Ukraine's Kursk gambit". The Financial Times. Archived from the original on March 20, 2025.
  10. ^ "Russian forces snuck through gas pipeline to ambush Ukrainian troops in Kursk". CBC News & Reuters. March 9, 2025. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Железный «Поток»: неизвестные факты о дерзкой операции по освобождению Суджи" [Iron “Flow”: unknown facts about the daring operation to liberate Sudzha]. Известия (in Russian). 2025-03-15. Archived from the original on 2025-03-19. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  12. ^ a b Barber, Harriet (March 9, 2025). "Watch: Russian special forces crawl through gas pipelines to ambush Ukrainians". Yahoo! News & The Telegraph. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025.
  13. ^ a b Eckel, Mike (March 13, 2025). "Kursk Ambush: Did Russia Pull Off Another Pipeline Sneak Attack On Ukrainian Troops?". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025.
  14. ^ a b c d Newdick, Thomas (March 10, 2025). "Russian Raiders Crawled For Miles Through Gas Pipeline To Attack Ukrainians In Kursk". The War Zone. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025.
  15. ^ a b "«Все карты, которые нам показывали, вводили людей в заблуждение». Военный обозреватель Валерий Ширяев о ситуации в Курской области, прекращении огня и о том, чего ждать от переговоров" [“All the maps that were shown to us misled people.” Military observer Valery Shiryaev on the situation in Kursk Region, the ceasefire and what to expect from the negotiations]. Новая газета (in Russian). 2025-03-14. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
  16. ^ a b c Kyrylenko, Olha (2025-03-21). "What happened in Russia's Kursk Oblast during the last month of defence". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
  17. ^ "A costly gamble Meduza analyzes Russia's Kursk counteroffensive and what losing Sudzha means for Ukraine". Meduza. March 17, 2025. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025.
  18. ^ "Russian Forces Walk Inside Gas Pipeline To Outflank Ukrainian Troops". Newsweek. March 9, 2025. Archived from the original on March 14, 2025.
  19. ^ "'Putin's Men Crawl 15 Kms In Gas Pipeline': Dramatic Footage Of Russia's SHOCKING Kursk Ambush". The Times of India. March 9, 2025. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025.
  20. ^ "Russian forces creep through disused gas pipeline in attempt to launch surprise attack on Ukrainian soldiers". Sky News. March 9, 2025. Archived from the original on March 15, 2025.
  21. ^ Kostenko, Maria; Edwards, Christian; Tanno, Sophie (March 9, 2025). "Russia is advancing in Kursk, threatening Ukraine's sole territorial bargaining counter". CNN. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025.
  22. ^ ""Труба" врагу: участники легендарной операции в Судже рассказывают о своем подвиге" ["Pipe" to the enemy: participants of the legendary operation in Sudzha tell about their feat] (in Russian). TASS. March 15, 2025. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025.
  23. ^ "Russia's Operation Potok Cuts Ukrainian Supply Lines in Kursk Region". The Europe Today. March 17, 2025. Archived from the original on March 17, 2025.
  24. ^ "Генштаб ВСУ подтвердил, что российские военные попытались проникнуть в Суджу по газопроводу" [The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that Russian military attempted to enter Sudzha via a gas pipeline] (in Russian). Meduza. March 9, 2025. Archived from the original on March 11, 2025.
  25. ^ Kitachayev, Bashir (March 10, 2025). "Ukraine Risks Losing Kursk Foothold as Russia Pushes Forward". The Moscow Times. Archived from the original on March 14, 2025.
  26. ^ Mukhina, Olena (March 8, 2025). "Nearly 100 Russian troops infiltrate critical Ukrainian defense line through pipeline as Kursk encirclement tightens". Euromaidan Press. Archived from the original on March 9, 2025.
  27. ^ Harding, Luke (March 9, 2025). "Russian forces recapture villages in Ukrainian-held pocket inside Russia". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 10, 2025.
  28. ^ "Operation Potok – Inside Story of (Failed) Russian Gas Pipeline Infiltration". 21 March 2025.
  29. ^ "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, March 19, 2025". ISW. March 19, 2025. Archived from the original on March 21, 2025.
  30. ^ Barber, Harriet (March 9, 2025). "Watch: Russian special forces crawl through gas pipelines to ambush Ukrainians" (in em). The Telegraph. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
  31. ^ "The AFU Lost Positions in Kursk Oblast Due to a Lack of Intelligence Data From the U.S." Istories. March 10, 2025. Archived from the original on March 16, 2025.
  32. ^ "Ukrainian forces wipe out 80% of Russian group in attempted Sudzha gas pipeline ambush". The New Voice of Ukraine. March 8, 2025. Archived from the original on March 12, 2025.
  33. ^ Coles, Isabel (2025-03-22). "'Keep Moving to Survive': Ukrainians Recount Perilous Retreat From Russian Territory". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  34. ^ "Russian Army Reports Major Advances in Kursk Region After 'Operation Pipeline'". The Moscow Times. March 11, 2025. Archived from the original on March 15, 2025.
  35. ^ a b c Kurmanaev, Anatoly (March 11, 2025). "Russia Begins Assault on Ukrainian-Occupied Town in Kursk Region". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 15, 2025.
  36. ^ "About 100 Russians use gas pipeline to reach Ukrainian positions near Sudzha, Kursk Oblast". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  37. ^ "How a gas pipeline helped Russia mount a rear strike against Ukrainian troops in Kursk". First Post. March 9, 2025. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025.
  38. ^ "Российские войска освободили Суджу. Вот что жители города рассказывают об украинской оккупации, которая длилась семь месяцев" [Russian troops have liberated Sudzha. Here is what the city's residents say about the Ukrainian occupation, which lasted seven months] (in Russian). Meduza. March 14, 2025. Archived from the original on March 18, 2025.
  39. ^ Kurmanaev, Anatoly (March 11, 2025). "Russia Begins Assault on Ukrainian-Occupied Town in Kursk Region". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 15, 2025.
  40. ^ Santona, Marc (March 16, 2025). "How Ukraine's Offensive in Russia's Kursk Region Unraveled". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 20, 2025.
  41. ^ Guy, Falcounbridge; Light, Felix (March 10, 2025). "Russian soldiers creep through gas pipeline to strike Ukrainian forces in Kursk, bloggers say". RNZ. Archived from the original on March 13, 2025.
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