Russia claimed its forces built tunnels to attack Ukrainians from behind

The Russian Armed Forces are digging tunnels to circumvent Ukrainian lines and attack them from behind according to a battlefield report from the Russian Ministry of Defense. 

On June 30th, the Russian Defense Ministry reported its armed forces captured a major stronghold in Donetsk on the outskirts of Pivnichne using an interesting tactic—tunnels. 

The Russian Ministry of Defense claimed a detachment of servicemen cleared a tunnel of more than three kilometers, or roughly two miles, long along the Seversky Donets canal.

Russian forces then used this tunnel to enter “the rear of a well-fortified stronghold with long-term firing points and underground shelters,” according to a Newsweek translation.   

The tunnel allowed Russian forces to establish a supply of munition, weapons, and food to the assault troops that were tasked with capturing this specific Ukrainian strongpoint. 

"Using the element of surprise, the unit's servicemen developed their success and completely captured the stronghold, forcing the enemy to surrender or abandon their positions and retreat,” the Russian Defense Ministry claimed claimed on Telegram. 

The Russian News Agency (TASS) reported the stronghold captured by Russian forces was the village of Kirov and added it was taken by the veterans of Russia’s Battlegroup Center.

Russian forces began adopting their tunneling tactics in October 2023 as part of their attempt to capture the city of Avdiivka, which included digging long tunnels to sneak up on Ukrainian positions. 

"As for the Russians' tactics. Our war is often compared to World War I," Anton Kotsukon of the 110th Separate Mechanized Brigade explained on live television according to a translation of his comments from Newsweek.

"On the Avdiivka front [the Russians] have started using the tactic of digging tunnels," Kotsukon added. "They're digging them close to our positions," he added.

Kotsukon explained the tunnels were used as camouflage from Ukrainian surveillance drones so that Russian detachments could "suddenly emerge closer to our positions." But tunnels weren't the only interesting tactic Russia was using in an effort to give their forces an edge.

"Our defense officers have also spotted the Russians using robotic vehicles that serve as remote-controlled vehicles; they're used to deliver ammunition,” Kotsukon said.

“These are some sort of special vehicles; they're quite big, and they can carry a decent load," the 110th Brigade’s spokesperson added about the situation on the frontline at that time. 

Using robotic and remote-controlled vehicles to resupply troops on he battlefield makes a lot of sense considering the danger from lethal overhead drones. However, we do not know if a similar tactics was adopted in the taking of Kirov

Avdiivka fell to Russian forces on February 17th, 2024. It was the largest territorial gain Moscow made in the conflict since the 2023 capture of Bakhmut according to Reuters. 

Newsweek’s Isabel Van Brugen reported that Russian forces are currently pushing to make “significant gains in eastern Ukraine” to take the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. 

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