Russian troops try to reach Ukraine's Kupiansk through gas pipelines again
File photo: Russians are once again attempting to storm the gas pipelines (Getty Images)
Russian troops near Kupiansk are attempting to break through to the city via gas pipelines. Russian casualties during these attempts have reached up to 70%, according to Viktor Trehubov, a spokesperson for the Joint Forces Group, in a comment to Suspilne.
"I was hoping they would stop doing this near Kupiansk, because the pipes are simply smashed to pieces. They’re trying to get through via Holubivka, where one of the pipes happens to run. Casualties from just attempting to cross this pipe reach 70%, but they keep trying anyway," he notes.
Trehubov suggests that the Russians might consider such assaults better than those across open fields, since the pipeline provides at least some cover. He adds that even if the pipeline is broken in some places, it still provides cover in others, since it cannot be destroyed.
According to the spokesperson for the Joint Forces Group, the Russians in the Kupiansk region are actively trying to reduce the bridgehead on the left bank of the Oskil River and break through to Kupiansk and Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi.
The Russians began climbing along the devastated gas pipelines to reach Kupiansk last year. However, the Ukrainian Armed Forces are thwarting this Russian tactic by either blowing up or flooding the pipelines.
There are several pipelines in the Kupiansk area. Three of the four lines have already been damaged and flooded, and the exit from the fourth is under the control of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.
In addition, Russian units recently attempted a breakthrough, choosing a gas pipeline as their route in the Kursk direction.
This method, which the Russians have used before, was supplemented by a maneuver using light vehicles. Despite the Russians' reliance on surprise and speed, the movements of the groups were detected promptly by intelligence assets.
Vladyslav Voloshyn, a spokesperson for the Southern Defense Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, said that Russian forces are practicing moving along gas pipelines in the temporarily occupied territories. They intend to use this method to advance in the Orikhiv direction.
