Underground inferno in Kharkiv Oblast — anti-mines turn Russian shelters into death traps

Beneath shattered streets and layers of concrete, Russian troops hoped to hide in tunnels and basements.
A Ukrainian soldier throws anti-tank mine right in a Russian military shelter in Vovchansk. Screenshot
Underground inferno in Kharkiv Oblast — anti-mines turn Russian shelters into death traps

Ukrainian forces destroy occupiers in their underground lairs. The 34th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion “Wolfhounds” has demonstrated how the Ukrainian Armed Forces throw anti-tank mines into basements and underground tunnels where Russian occupiers are hiding.

In Vovchansk, nearly 90-95% of buildings have been incinerated. The destruction of the city is the result of Russia’s 2024–2025 offensive campaign in Kharkiv Oblast. On 10 May 2024, the Russian army launched an advance toward the city, attempting to break through Ukrainian defenses and capture Vovchansk. However, it has failed. 

Anti-tank mines directly into shelters

The conditions faced by Ukrainian infantry in Vovchansk go beyond human endurance. Enemy positions are just meters away, above ground, no buildings remain intact, and beneath the layers of concrete and asphalt, the occupiers’ fortifications and tunnels lie hidden.

“To flush out the enemy or destroy fortifications, we have to manually throw explosives into their lairs,” say the soldiers.

Underground networks do not save the enemy

Russian forces use basements, sewer pipes, and reinforced tunnels to move personnel. The same tactics were used by the occupiers in Sudzha, Kursk Oblast.

The operation involved underground pipes of the Urengoy–Pomary–Uzhhorod gas pipeline, which Russia used to supply gas to Europe via Ukraine until 1 January 2025. Each pipeline section had a diameter of 1.4 meters. 

In Vovchansk, nearly 90-95% of buildings have been incinerated. The destruction of the city is the result of Russia’s 2024–2025 offensive campaign in Kharkiv Oblast. On 10 May 2024, the Russian army launched an advance toward the city, attempting to break through Ukrainian defenses and capture Vovchansk. However, it has failed. 

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