On March 9, Russian troops carried out a new attack on the city of Sudja in the Kursk region. In this attack, Russian soldiers moved through the "Urengoy – Pomari – Uzhgorod" gas pipeline, crossing the Ukrainian border. The gas pipeline is considered one of the important routes used by Russia to supply gas to Europe through Ukraine by January 1, 2025.
Utilizing the gas pipeline in a dangerous manner, Russian soldiers mobilized a unit of around 100 people, which led to covering a distance of 16 kilometers through a 1.4-meter diameter underground pipeline over the course of a week. The soldiers initially crawled through the pipeline and later waited to emerge.
The operation also involved the "Veterans" private military company, the "Akhmat" special operations unit, and the 30th motorized rifle regiment of the Russian armed forces. It is reported that this operation was not conducted with the best preparation, with even lying soldiers lacking water and food, and ventilation issues arising. As a result, several fighters were poisoned by methane gas and perished. Videos of the results of this attack have spread to the public.
The Ukrainian armed forces described this attack as an expected situation. According to the Ukrainian General Staff, the airborne assault troops' reconnaissance units timely detected the movements of the Russian soldiers and responded with missile and artillery strikes. A strong blow was delivered to the Russian units at the point where the pipeline intersected with the railway, two kilometers northeast of the city of Sudja.
At the same time, the Russian government and affiliated sources report that attacks on Sudja have continued in several directions, with active movements observed in Cherkasskoye Porechnoye, Kositsa, Martinovka, and Malaya Loknya. The Russian army has also managed to capture the village of Lebedevka, located 10 kilometers from Sudja.
No official comments have yet been released regarding the results of these attacks and their developments. However, the Ukrainian armed forces have published information about Russian losses in this attack, emphasizing that they are very significant.
The attack carried out by Russia through this underground pipeline and the military actions in Sudja may still lead to investigations and analyses, potentially resulting in broader impacts
