Story perspectives

Ukraine’s Operation Veles captures 30+ Russians underground

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 12:18 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Ukraine’s National Guard 2nd Khartiia Corps carried out Operation Veles, moving troops through more than 15 km of underground routes.
The operation captured over 30 Russian personnel and inflicted Russian losses exceeding 100.
Brig. Gen. Ihor Oboliensky said Ukrainian troops outplayed Russian underground tactics.
Aerial surveillance made the battlefield transparent, forcing Ukrainian forces to move underground.
The 2nd Khartiia Corps released the first video showing troops operating underground in Operation Veles.

History

Historical Context

In June 1917, the Battle of Messines saw the British Second Army explode 19 massive mines beneath German lines, securing a decisive breakthrough. The operation deployed roughly 450,000 kg of explosives, killing an estimated 1,000 German soldiers and demoralizing the 4th Army. Similarly, Ukraine’s National Guard 2nd Khartiia Corps in 2024 used over 15 km of subterranean routes during Operation Veles, capturing more than 30 Russian troops. Both episodes illustrate how engineered underground tactics can transform battlefield transparency, forcing adversaries to adapt and reshaping modern combat doctrines.

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Story summary

Ukraine’s National Guard 2nd Khartiia Corps carried out Operation Veles, moving troops through more than 15 km of underground routes.
The operation captured over 30 Russian personnel and inflicted Russian losses exceeding 100.
Brig. Gen. Ihor Oboliensky said Ukrainian troops outplayed Russian underground tactics.
Aerial surveillance made the battlefield transparent, forcing Ukrainian forces to move underground.
The 2nd Khartiia Corps released the first video showing troops operating underground in Operation Veles.

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