Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin’s troops ‘use gas pipeline for surprise attack’ on Ukrainian forces in Kursk
Russian troops have crept miles through a major gas pipeline to launch a surprise attack on Ukrainian forces in the Kursk region, according to pro-Russian war bloggers.
As part of a major offensive to eject Ukrainian soldiers from the western Russian region, some of the Russian special forces had spent several days in the pipe before attempting the surprise near the town of Sudzha, said Yuri Podolyaka, a Ukrainian-born, pro-Russian military blogger.
Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers seized about 1,300 square km of Russia’s Kursk region in August last year in what Kyiv said was an attempt to gain a bargaining chip in future negotiations and to force Russia to shift forces from eastern Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said Kyiv is “fully committed” to constructive dialogue with US representatives in Saudi Arabia next week and hoped to agree the next steps.
“Ukraine has been seeking peace from the very first second of this war. Realistic proposals are on the table. The key is to move quickly and effectively,” Mr Zelensky wrote on X.
Mr Zelensky said he would visit Saudi Arabia next week and after he meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday, Ukrainian diplomatic and military representatives would stay for a meeting the following day with the US team.
US representatives have already held two sets of talks with their Russian counterparts, the first of which was in Saudi Arabia.
