From the Pipe to the Attack: Operation Flow
Russian soldiers advance inside a gas pipeline. Photo: Telegram / ODShB "Veterans"
The Russian army continues to liberate territories of the Kursk region captured by the enemy. Several days ago, the front line approached the border town of Sudzha. In order to increase pressure on the enemy and speed up the process of its elimination, a unique operation called "Stream" was carried out. As part of this event, a large detachment of our troops was able to secretly enter the enemy's rear through an inactive gas pipeline.
Unexpected news
On the morning of March 8, reports about new successes of the Russian army in the Kursk region were spread through specialized channels and resources. It was reported that one of our units passed through the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod gas pipeline and ended up in the area of the city of Sudzha.
Over the next few hours, various news and rumors that did not yet allow us to draw a detailed picture. In addition, on March 8, the first photos and videos of the participants in the unusual operation during preparation became publicly available.
According to various sources, the Russian detachment emerged from a pipe near the border town of Sudzha and began military operations on its outskirts. It was reported that they were advancing deep into the city and eliminating part of the enemy forces. Due to the unexpected appearance of Russian troops, other Ukrainian formations fled from their positions towards the state border.
Lieutenant General Apti Alaudinov instructs the participants of Operation Potok from the Akhmat detachment. Photo Telegram / Apti Alaudinov
The Ukrainian side, as always, denied its failures. A few hours after the start of the operation, Ukrainian propaganda began to talk about the successful repulse of the attack. As evidence, some videos of poor quality and dubious content were cited.
Despite numerous reports on various resources, the overall picture remained unclear in the first days. Official and detailed information appeared only on the morning of March 10, when the commanders of the units involved reported on the progress of the operation. Thanks to them, it is now known who participated in the operation, how preparations were made for it, and what results were achieved.
It should be noted that this is not the first operation of Russian troops in which existing communications and pipelines are used. Thus, in January 2024, a 2 km long underground pipe helped our units strike at the enemy rear and contributed to the liberation of Avdiivka.
Operation Flow
A number of materials on the recent operation were published in his Telegram channel by the commander of the special forces unit "Akhmat" Apti Alaudinov. In addition, a short interview with the commander of the volunteer reconnaissance assault brigade "Vostok" with the call sign "Zombie" appeared in the public domain. This and other information allows us to form a general picture.
It is now known that the operation to penetrate into the enemy's rear was named "Stream". Its planning and implementation took several recent weeks.
Movement along the pipe. Telegram / DRShBr "Vostok"
The operation involved fighters from several units: the Vostok DRShBr, the Veterans ODShBr, Akhmat, the 16th Brigade and the 106th Airborne Division, the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment of the Ground Forces, as well as unnamed units of the Navy's Marine Corps. According to Zombie, more than 800 personnel were involved in total.
Preparations for the attack on the enemy's rear took about three weeks. It all began with opening an inactive gas pipeline. The remaining natural gas was pumped out of it, and breathing air was supplied instead. When the conditions in the pipeline became acceptable, the actual preparations began.
At a distance of about 15 km from the entry point, several holes were made in the pipe for the personnel to exit to the surface. So-called personnel storage areas were organized near the exit points - additional underground rooms near the pipe. A supply of food, water and ammunition was created. Household measures were also taken. It was assumed that the soldiers would not only have to walk along the pipe, but also wait underground for the order to exit.
In early March, the personnel involved in Operation Potok prepared and began to implement the plan. The fighters arrived at the entry point and descended into the pipe in small groups and at certain intervals. This prevented the enemy from noticing the activity and suspecting preparations for the operation. Nevertheless, the entry into the pipe in small groups lasted for 4 days.
Operation participant in special gear. Telegram / ODShBr "Veterans"
According to the operation plan, the soldiers had to walk about 15 km inside the pipe. The conditions were extremely difficult. For example, the pipe diameter of 1,42 m did not allow the soldiers to straighten up and generally limited their freedom of movement. The inner surface of the pipe was covered with oil and condensate. The personnel had to not only walk, but also carry weapon and everything you need.
By the morning of March 8, all participants in Operation Potok were in their places. On command, they left the pipe through previously made exits and raised the necessary supplies to the surface. After that, the execution of the assigned combat missions began.
A large Russian detachment split up and dispersed across the area. Some of the fighters headed to the industrial zone of Sudzha, while others were supposed to storm nearby settlements. The "Stream" participants caught the enemy by surprise. Some of the Ukrainian fighters tried to resist and were destroyed. The rest simply fled, abandoning their equipment and supplies.
Successes and consequences
All the results of Operation Potok remain unknown for now. Only general successes are noted, while details, for obvious reasons, are not disclosed. However, the available information allows us to understand the general situation and imagine how the events of March 8 affected the situation in the border area.
The participants of the operation penetrated into the enemy's rear and inflicted direct damage on it. Ukrainian formations suffered losses in manpower and equipment. In addition, they were driven out of some positions in a fairly large area.
Participants of "Potok" in one of the storage dungeons. Telegram / ODShBr "Veterans"
It should be noted that the participants of the operation not only destroyed the enemy themselves, but also contributed to the successes of other units. The unexpectedness of their actions led to the Ukrainian militants fleeing their positions and trying to leave Sudzha and its environs. In doing so, they came under fire artillery or became targets for attack UAVs.
The key result of Operation Potok was the weakening of the enemy group in the area of the city of Sudzha. This happened almost simultaneously with the intensification of the offensive of Russian troops in the nearest sections of the front. Problems in the Ukrainian rear significantly simplify the advance of the main group of Russian troops and accelerate the process of liberation of the temporarily occupied territories.
The recent operation has been noticed abroad, and very interesting statements are being made. For example, the notorious German journalist Julian Röpke, recalling Avdiivka and seeing the events near Sudzha, demands that all pipelines connecting Russia and the European Union be immediately destroyed. He considers the very fact of their existence a military threat to Europe.
Available features
Over the three years of the Special Operation to Protect Donbass, the Russian army has demonstrated the level of personnel training and materiel development. In addition, the armed forces have demonstrated the ability to adapt to emerging situations, as well as to seek non-trivial solutions based on the existing situation.
A great example of this is the breakthroughs into the enemy's rear in Avdiivka and Sudzha, carried out using the existing infrastructure. Since the beginning of the year, the border gas pipeline was inactive, and the Russian army literally after a couple of months of inactivity used it to conduct an unusual operation and achieve the desired results. It is quite possible that similar operations will be carried out in the future - and will again come as a surprise to the enemy.
Information