45 days underground: The hell revealed in the war against Putin

Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers took part in a secret operation inside abandoned gas pipelines near Kupyansk, during which they spent up to 45 days underground. According to a report to The Telegraph, the operation led to the killing of 100 Russian soldiers and the capture of 30 others. The soldiers described harsh conditions, toxic gases, and close-quarters combat.

Dozens of Ukrainian soldiers participated in a secret operation codenamed "Veles" inside abandoned gas pipelines near Kupyansk, during which they spent up to 45 days underground. According to a report by the soldiers to the British newspaper The Telegraph, the operation led to the killing of 100 Russian soldiers and the capture of 30 others. The soldiers described harsh conditions: the stench of natural gas, chemicals, corpses, and human waste, along with a constant cloud of dust. A 27-year-old combat medic, nicknamed "Wild Boar," said that treating the wounded in the tunnels meant fighting rampant infections and respiratory complications caused by toxic gases that the Russians pump in. In one instance, he lost consciousness after carrying a wounded soldier for 100 meters. A soldier nicknamed "Santa" said that despite the harsh conditions, he feels safer underground, away from the terror of drones.