Zelensky on Operation Veles: Ukrainian Forces Advanced 15 km Underground

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on Operation Veles in the Kupiansk sector, where Defence Forces under the command of the Khartiia corps advanced more than 15 km underground into the rear of Russian troops.

On social media, Zelensky said: "An important operation of ours in the Kupiansk sector. Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ihor Obolenskyi and Pavlo Palisa reported on the first results and progress of Operation Veles, carried out by the 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine, Khartiia. More than a hundred Russian occupiers have already been destroyed, more than thirty taken prisoner. The advance underground is over 15 kilometres."

A transformed tactic

The president added that Russian troops had already tried to use underground gas pipelines to move through Ukrainian positions and switch to assault actions. "Ukrainian soldiers have successfully transformed this tactic, modernised it, made it much more thought-out and technological. We protect the lives of our people, inflict losses on the occupier and achieve the set objectives in the Kupiansk sector," Zelensky said.

Earlier, Khartiia reported that during Operation Veles in the Kupiansk sector the Defence Forces under the corps' command had walked more than 15 km underground into the Russian rear and captured over 30 occupiers. More in world news.