Russian special forces reportedly infiltrated Ukrainian positions near the town of Sudzha in Russia’s Kursk region by crawling for miles through a major gas pipeline. Pro-Russian military bloggers claim the surprise attack was part of a larger offensive aimed at expelling Ukrainian troops who seized territory in western Russia last year.
Russia’s Strategy to Retake Kursk
According to reports, thousands of Ukrainian soldiers took control of approximately 1,300 square kilometers of Kursk in August 2024. Kyiv framed the move as a way to gain leverage in future negotiations and force Russia to redeploy troops from eastern Ukraine.
Recent Russian offensives have intensified, with open-source maps showing Ukrainian forces in Kursk nearly encircled after rapid Russian advances. Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that its troops had recaptured the village of Lebedevka and taken control of Novenke, a settlement in Ukraine’s Sumy region.
Gas Pipeline Infiltration
Pro-Russian war blogger Yuri Podolyaka claimed that Russian special forces used the gas pipeline to move undetected for miles, with some spending days inside before launching an ambush from the rear near Sudzha. Russian Telegram channels shared images of soldiers equipped with gas masks and flashlights inside what appeared to be a massive pipeline.
Ukraine’s General Staff acknowledged that Russian troops attempted to infiltrate via the pipeline but stated that airborne assault forces quickly detected them. Ukrainian units responded with a barrage of rocket, artillery, and drone strikes, reportedly inflicting heavy casualties on the Russian attackers.
Ukrainian soldiers, reportedly from the elite 80th airborne assault brigade, surrendered in Cherkasskoe Porochnoe, Kursk Oblast. pic.twitter.com/vVrTFVMaD9
Fierce Battle for Sudzha
The battle for Sudzha has escalated, with reports of intense overnight fighting. Russian war blogger “Two Majors” claimed that Russian forces successfully entered parts of the town using the gas pipeline. Meanwhile, another blogger, Yuri Kotenok, reported that Ukrainian troops have been repositioning equipment closer to the border as Russian forces advance into the northeastern part of Sudzha. Fighting is said to be ongoing near Lomonosov Street and the town’s industrial zone.
Geopolitical Tensions Rise
The renewed Russian offensive comes amid heightened concerns in Europe following U.S. President Donald Trump’s shift in Ukraine policy. After a tense meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on February 28, the U.S. paused military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, raising fears that Western support could be weakening.
The Kursk incursion marks one of the most serious engagements on Russian soil since World War II, with some drawing comparisons to the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941. As fighting continues in Kursk and eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region, both sides remain locked in a high-stakes struggle with global implications.