Russia Attempts to Infiltrate Ukraine Through Pipeline from Kursk

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) Sept. 21 update Russian forces have twice attempted to infiltrate Ukraine’s northern Sumy region through a major gas pipelinethat runs across the border from Russia’s Kursk region in the past ten days. It is believedthe troops entered the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod close to the Russian city of Sudzha; the site of a gas exchange point that has been closed since shortly after the 2022 full-scaleinvasion of Ukraine. JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The “Brotherhood” pipeline is a major 4,500-kilometer (2,800-mile) natural gas export 1,420 mm (56-inch) diameter pipeline that runs from Siberia’s Urengoy field through Russiaand Western Ukraine then to Central and Western Europe. Ukrainian forces intercept Russian infiltrators A spokesperson for Ukraine’s 8th Airborne Corps reported that Ukrainian forces had intercepted the first attempt on Sept. 12. They said this involved a 10-man Russian “sabotage and reconnaissance group” which was ambushed by Ukrainian forces as they emerged from the pipeline on Ukrainian territory. A day later another, larger platoon-sized Russian group emerged near the village of MalaKorchakivka, north of Sumy, the regional capital. Ukrainian troops said that in the subsequent engagement they had killed 29 Russian soldiers and wounded three. ISW assessed that the attempted pipeline infiltrations were planned to disrupt Ukrainian defense t in advance of renewed Russian offensive operations along the northern Sumyfront, with two major attacks on Sept. 20 and 21. The report said these had failed to makeany meaningful progress. Other Topics of Interest 275,000 Missing in Russia-Ukraine War, Red Cross Says The International Committee of the Red Cross does not disclose how many of the missing are Ukrainian or Russian. A repeat of the previous pipeline tactic This latest attempt is not the first example of Russian forces attempting to infiltrate and circumvent Ukrainian defensive positions using underground infrastructure. In January 2024 soldiers from the Russian 60th Veterany Separate Assault Brigade usedpartially flooded drainage and sewer pipes to creep undetected into the Tsarskaya Okhotaarea in the southern outskirts of the city of Avdiivka. Although initially having gained afoothold the Russian forces were eventually dislodged following heavy fighting. SW noted that Russian troops employed pipelines during operations in Avdiivka in January 2024, Russia’s Kursk region in March 2025, and Kupiansk in September 2025. We will remind, in April, the Russian military already used a gas pipe to try to penetrate therear of Ukrainian positions in Sumy region. Then, 29 attack aircraft passed through theunderground pipeline, which after exiting the pipe divided into three groups and tried togain a foothold in the forest belts. Intelligence, UAV operators and artillery of the 71stseparate airmobile brigade discovered the invaders and eliminated the entire group Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 97% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.