About 100 Russians use gas pipeline to reach Ukrainian positions near Sudzha, Kursk Oblast
About 100 Russian soldiers used the gas pipeline to reach the positions of Ukraine's defence forces near the area of Sudzha on the morning of 8 March.
Source: journalist Yurii Butusov; Ukrainska Pravda source in a unit operating in Kursk Oblast
Quote from the Ukrainska Pravda source: "The enemy used a gas pipeline and came out in area N [the precise location is concealed for security purposes – ed.], up to about 100 people. It was not a surprise, as we knew about this action. But the focus [of the command's attention – ed.] had been shifted to Kurilovka a few days ago [referring to the breakthrough near Sudzha a few days ago –ed.].
The Russians had been preparing for this operation for several days, clearing the area with aerial bombs."
Details: Ukrainska Pravda does not know what happened to Russian forces who passed through the pipeline, nor whether they managed to reach Sudzha itself.
When asked why the defence forces did not blow up the pipe, the source said that it was impossible to do so given the limited logistics.
Most likely, this is an underground pipe of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhhorod gas pipeline, which until 1 January 2025 was used by Russia to supply gas to Europe through Ukraine. The diameter of one pipe is 1.4 metres.
Background: The Russians broke through the Ukrainian defence line south of Sudzha in Kursk Oblast. The defence forces are trying to stabilise the situation.
Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
42 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cyprus shows off its new Airbus military helicopters touted as more advanced than what Germany has
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus on Friday unveiled four of its newly-delivered Airbus H145 helicopters that officials say are among the most advanced rotorcraft in the word with a proven track record that gives the Cypriot National Guard an operational edge. The helicopter is currently used by Germany, the U.S. Hungary, Belgium, Ireland and other militaries with over 500 variants currently in operation, logging over 8 million flight hours, according to Cyprus Defense Minister Vassilis Palmas. 'The new helicopter is a multi-role, digital instrument that is geared toward the demands of the 21st century,' Palmas told a ceremony at Cyprus' main Paphos air base. Two more of the state-of-the-art aircraft will be delivered, while the contract with Airbus allows for the purchase of additional helicopters, said Airbus Senior Vice President for the H145 program Daniela Dudek. Dudek said the reliability of the 3.8 ton aircraft is affirmed by its 40 years of service but the integration of advanced avionics and weapons systems make it the 'most military-capable aircraft in its category.' 'What we achieved over years to quickly integrate existing technology on the market, defense technology, and it is unique what you have here. You're even more advanced than what we currently have in Germany,' Dudek said. The helicopter's advanced avionics, which Airbus codeveloped with Israeli companies in the last two years, also includes an integrated weapons system dubbed H-Force which enables the pilot to easily operate the helicopters weaponry in flight, eliminating the need for a separate weapons officer on board. Dudek said another unique aspect of the Cypriot helicopters is an integrated battle management system that enables the aircraft to operate seamlessly with forces on the ground as well as other aircraft, including those belonging to the forces of other nations. Additionally, the helicopter's electronic warfare and other systems afford it a strong self-protection capability. Ethnically-divided Cyprus is in the process of modernizing its defensive capabilities to bring it up to modern European and NATO standards after years of relying on mainly Soviet-era, Russian-made weaponry. The island nation continues to operate Russian-made T-80 main battle tanks, but has recently sold off 11 Russian-made Mi35 attack helicopters to Serbia. Cyprus was split in 1974, when Turkey invaded following a coup by Athens junta-backed supporters of uniting the island with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and maintains more than 35,000 troops in the island's northern third. The Cypriot defense minister said the helicopter purchase is part of wider strategic planning for the continuous upgrading of the National Guard, enabling the island to take part in joint military drills with friendly nations. Menelaos Hadjicostis, The Associated Press
Yahoo
44 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Turkey hopes for renewed Russia-Ukraine peace talks
Turkey hopes that Ukraine and Russia can resolve the conflict in a potential second round of direct talks on a ceasefire, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday in Kiev. The two warring sides last met in Istanbul in mid-May, their first direct public contact in three years. "We are convinced that progress can certainly be made as long as we remain at the negotiating table," Fidan told a joint press conference with his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha. A high-level meeting with the participation of the United States could follow the second round, Fidan said, adding that Turkey wants to see the war end as soon as possible. The call comes after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday announced Moscow's desire for new talks in Istanbul. The Russian delegation is ready to present a memorandum to the Ukrainian team in Turkey, Lavrov said. The document sets out the Russian position on "all aspects of a reliable overcoming of the root causes of the crisis," he said. Ukraine's Sybiha said his side needs to see the Russian proposal before they can prepare for the negotiations and work toward a tangible outcome. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Wednesday that Kiev has already submitted its position to Moscow. Ukraine has been defending itself against a Russian invasion for more than three years. A major prisoner exchange followed the Russian-Ukrainian negotiations in Istanbul on May 16.
Atlantic
an hour ago
- Atlantic
Trump Is Attempting a ‘Reverse Nixon'
In the early 1970s, President Richard Nixon made history by drawing Communist China closer to the United States, giving Washington an advantage in its Cold War contest with the Soviet Union. Half a century later, President Donald Trump seems to be eyeing a similar diplomatic maneuver, but in reverse: drawing Russia closer to the United States in order to give Washington an advantage in its geopolitical competition with Communist China. If Trump were to pull this off, he, too, would change the course of history—isolating China, guaranteeing European security, and solidifying American global primacy. But the plan—known as a 'reverse Nixon' in foreign-policy circles—could easily backfire. On the face of it, trying to peel Russia off from China has a certain logic. The two countries have forged a partnership in recent years that could pose a serious threat to U.S. interests—Beijing's support for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine exemplifies this. 'The one thing you never want to happen is you never want Russia and China uniting,' Trump said in an October interview, citing one of his college professors. 'I'm going to have to un-unite them, and I think I can do that.' This imperative could help explain why the Trump administration has sought rapprochement with Russia. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has suggested that Russia may otherwise become subservient to China. 'If Russia becomes a permanent junior partner to China in the long term, well, now you're talking about two nuclear powers aligned against the United States,' he said in a February interview. Russian leaders could be forced 'to do whatever China says they need to do because of their dependence on them,' he continued. 'I don't think that's a good outcome for Russia, and it's not a good outcome for America or for Europe or for the world.' Michael Schuman: Trump hands the world to China Publicly, Chinese officials have dismissed the possibility of losing Russia to Trump. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called the reverse-Nixon idea 'the obsolete Cold War mindset' and insisted that ties between Beijing and Moscow were 'as solid and unshakable as mountains.' Yet the fact that he felt the need to address the possibility may betray a degree of insecurity. Less than two weeks after Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone in February, China's leader, Xi Jinping, had his own conversation with the Russian president and made sure to stress that 'our two countries are true friends' whose partnership had 'unique strategic value,' according to the summary of his comments issued by the Chinese foreign ministry. Nixon's task in the '70s was in some ways easier than the reverse Nixon promises to be today. The Chinese leaders Nixon wooed had already split with the Soviets and perceived them as a threat. Now China and Russia are closer than they have been in decades, and Putin has not evinced much inclination to change that. In early May, Putin hosted Xi at a World War II Victory Day celebration in Moscow and called the Chinese leader his 'dear friend.' Nor has Putin shown much enthusiasm for a deal with Trump to end the war in Ukraine (Vice President J. D. Vance complained earlier this month that the Russians were 'asking for too much'). The Trump administration may not fully appreciate the depth of the bond between America's adversaries. In his October interview, Trump expressed the belief that Russia and China have drawn close mainly as a result of faulty U.S. policies, especially those of President Joe Biden. Trump was most likely referring to Washington's tough stance on Ukraine, including sanctions on Russia, which arguably led Moscow to seek support and reprieve from China. 'We united them. Biden united them,' Trump said. 'The stupidity of what they've done.' But focusing on Ukraine gives short shrift to the many political, economic, and strategic interests that Putin and Xi share—chief among them a mutual antipathy toward the United States. 'Their common mistrust of Washington and their hopes of becoming more powerful in an emerging multipolar order—at the United States' expense—are likely to provide a strong enough foundation to keep the Chinese-Russian partnership stable and growing,' Alexander Gabuev, the director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, argued in a December analysis. Then there are the economic links. At this point, Putin may not be able to break free from China even if he wanted to. According to Gabuev, China now buys 30 percent of Russian exports; 40 percent of Russian imports come from China. China now buys more oil from Russia than from any other country. Even if the U.S. removes sanctions as part of a settlement of the Ukraine war, these arrangements might not change. 'Putin has no reason to give up China's extensive, concrete, and reliable support to Russia's civilian economy and defense industry in exchange for ties to Washington that may not last past the end of Trump's term,' the scholars Michael McFaul and Evan Medeiros argued in an essay in April. Paul Mason: Trump brings Britain's 'moron premium' to the U.S. economy If Trump and Xi wind up competing for Putin's attention, the Russian leader could play the U.S. and China off each other, to his own benefit. 'Russia could assume the pivot position in the triangular relation among the United States, China, and Russia,' Bonnie Glaser, the managing director of the German Marshall Fund's Indo-Pacific program, told me, meaning that Moscow would have better ties with Beijing and Washington than either would with the other. A successful reverse Nixon could work to the advantage of the United States. But it's a long shot, and failing means fracturing the American alliance with Europe without splitting Russia from China. With its large nuclear arsenal, Russia would remain a threat to global security, and by placing Putin in the pivot position, Trump would strengthen and embolden both him and Xi to increase their pressure on the United States.
