Moscow, March 13, 2025 – The Europe Today: Moscow’s rapid offensive in the Kursk Region, including the now-famous Operation Potok (“Flow”), has significantly weakened Ukrainian defenses, cutting supply lines and leaving Kyiv’s forces nearly encircled. Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the operation’s success during his visit to a command post in the region on Wednesday.
Strategic Gains in Kursk
Russia has intensified its counteroffensive in the Kursk Region, which was invaded by Ukrainian forces in August 2024. Reporting on the progress, Chief of the General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov described the “heroic actions” of the Veterans volunteer detachment, a combined assault unit playing a pivotal role in the operation.
“The assault team of this combined formation, numbering more than 600 people, used a gas transmission pipe to cover a distance of about 15 kilometers and infiltrate the combat formations of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Gerasimov reported.
Pipeline Infiltration: A Tactical Breakthrough
The clandestine Operation Potok marked a shift from the prolonged positional phase in Kursk. A specially trained Russian unit navigated an abandoned gas pipeline that previously transported Russian gas to Europe before Ukraine shut it down on January 1, 2025.
The maneuver caught Ukrainian forces by surprise, contributing to the collapse of their defenses and allowing Russian troops to push forward. According to Russian military sources, the pipeline raid was carefully planned over several months and executed in early March.
The mission was fraught with challenges, including navigating poorly ventilated, confined spaces over several days. Oxygen supply was a critical concern due to residual gas in the pipeline. Engineering teams installed makeshift ventilation systems and drilled air holes to alleviate suffocation risks. Fighters moved in small, staggered groups, while supplies were transported using carts.
Decisive Assault and Ukrainian Retreat
On March 8, Russian forces launched their coordinated assault, emerging through pre-prepared openings and swiftly taking control of key positions. Caught off guard, Ukrainian troops attempted resistance but were overwhelmed, with many retreating and abandoning equipment. Russian reinforcements, including armored units, soon arrived to consolidate territorial gains.
President Putin commended the Veterans volunteer detachment, which included personnel from the 11th Airborne Assault Brigade, the 30th Motorized Rifle Regiment, and the Akhmat special forces detachment, for their “audacity and efficiency”. He also praised over a dozen other military units for their role in the liberation of the Kursk Region.
Historical Precedent in Pipeline Warfare
This was not the first time Russian forces used pipeline infiltration tactics. In January 2024, Russian scouts utilized a similar method to infiltrate Ukrainian positions in Avdeevka, located in the Donetsk People’s Republic.
The success of Operation Potok has reinforced Russia’s strategic advantage in the Kursk Region, deepening Ukraine’s defensive challenges and further escalating the conflict.
