At the Donetsk front, Russia is using underground routes to find ways to infiltrate behind Ukraine’s defense lines in an attempt to bypass key areas, including Toretsk, a city crucial to the ongoing conflict.
Russian military tactics have evolved on the frontlines, and Russian forces are seeking to bypass Toretsk’s defenses in Donetsk province. This includes utilizing underground routes to penetrate into Ukraine’s rear, according to Kiev’s Khortytsia strategic operations group.
Khortytsia spokesman Major Viktor Trehubov said on state television that Russia had adopted a new tactic in the area.
“Yesterday, we received information that the enemy was trying to use underground routes to move into the rear of the Ukrainian army on some streets of Toretsk,” he said.
Mr. Trehubov explained that the Russian army not only attacked from the flanks to overcome the Ukrainian defense system but also attacked from underground. “This is also a priority attack direction. Russia is trying to take advantage of every possible option to overcome Ukrainian forces,” he said.
He added that Russian troops were trying to enter the city from several different directions. “If in Pokrovsk we saw Russia trying to encircle the city, then in Toretsk this is real urban combat,” Trehubov said, noting how urban warfare tactics have become a key part of Russia’s strategy.
On March 30, Sviatoslav Lesiuk, deputy commander of the 1st Mechanized Battalion of the 42nd Independent Mechanized Brigade, said that Russian forces were trying to flank Toretsk. He reported that fighting in the city had intensified significantly.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on March 28 that the Ukrainian army had recently made small advances near Toretsk, Pokrovsk, and Kurakhove, in Donetsk province.
On March 16, analysts from the DeepState project reported that Russian forces had completely destroyed the Central mine in Toretsk. “As a result, it is difficult for our military to maintain that position,” analysts said, noting that Russia has superior military numbers in the region.
DeepState also reported that Russia recently rotated units of the 150th Motor Rifle Division into the region, contributing to their growing military presence and operations in Donetsk.
The “buried” attack tactic has been used by Russia several times before, taking advantage of areas with underground infrastructure.
Last month, Russian soldiers moved across 15km of disused gas pipelines in Sudzha, Kursk front, behind enemy lines. Surprise was the key to the success of the operation. Ukrainian soldiers entrenched in their positions in Sudzha were completely caught off guard when Russian soldiers suddenly emerged from underground and launched a massive attack from behind. The result was a chaotic retreat from Sudzha, Ukraine’s most important stronghold on Russian territory.
Last year, Russia also used “burrowing” tactics at the Avdiivka front in Donetsk. The attack on the city began after Russian soldiers moved through an underground technical tunnel, deep into the area controlled by Ukrainian forces, and then made a breakthrough.
Thanks to this strategy, Russia took the strategic stronghold from Ukraine after weeks of fierce fighting, illustrating how Russian military advancements in Ukraine are forcing a re-evaluation of defense strategies. The Ukraine military response has thus far focused on countering these underground warfare tactics and defending key locations like Toretsk.
