Ukrainian Forces use drones to neutralize Russian troops hidden in pipeline
Ukrainian troops have executed a precision strike on Russian forces hiding in the “Siverskyi Donets-Donbas" water canal pipeline, demonstrating sophisticated new tactics. The strike was carried out using an FPV drone operated via fiber-optic cable, ensuring stable communication in enclosed underground spaces. The video of the attack has been released by the 5th Separate Assault Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on their official Facebook page. Reports indicate that the entire Russian storm group perished in the attack.
The Russian forces had utilized the pipeline as a shelter and infantry gathering point in the direction of Kramatorsk. Video evidence shows the drone maneuvering into the pipeline before detonating within the hideout, proving disastrous for the Russian soldiers determined to reuse the location.
Ivan Kirilliv, the commander of the brigade's reconnaissance battalion, explained that the operation employed an FPV drone linked directly to its operator through a fiber-optic cable. This advanced technology maintains a secure connection even in subterranean environments where radio signals typically fail.
"The enemy regularly uses these pipes, even as evacuation routes," Kirilliv explained to "ArmyTV." "But we have adapted — we can reach them even there."
The practice of using underground pipelines for troop movement and as hiding points has become a recognizable strategy for the Russian military. Earlier, during the Kursk campaign in March, Russian sabotage groups attempted to penetrate Ukrainian lines via the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod main gas pipeline. Ukrainian forces countered one group with artillery and HIMARS cluster rockets, while other operatives succumbed to suffocation and severe lung damage deep inside the pipe.
Similar strategies were reportedly employed in the battles for Avdiivka, signaling the systematic use of pipelines and communication tunnels for troop transport and shelter from strikes.