--- title: "\"Gray zone\" and pipeline: Joint Forces spokesman details situation in Kupiansk after Operation Veles" description: "Joint Forces spokesman Viktor Tregubov described the situation in Kupiansk following Operation Veles: Russian groups infiltrated via a pipeline through Holubivka, but after its disabling, no effective infiltrations are recorded." date: 2026-10-28T10:46:25.977Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kupiansk-situation-after-operation-veles-tregubov tags: [ukraine-war, kupiansk, kharkiv, veles-operation, national-guard] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # "Gray zone" and pipeline: Joint Forces spokesman details situation in Kupiansk after Operation Veles ![Joint Forces Group spokesman Viktor Tregubov in camouflage uniform against a background of camouflage netting](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/28/kupiansk-situatsiya-posle-operatsii-veles-tregubov/kupiansk-situatsiya-posle-operatsii-veles-tregubov-1.webp) ## Key Points - According to Joint Forces spokesman Viktor Tregubov, Russian troops infiltrated the northern districts of Kupiansk through Holubivka using a pipeline. - Operation Veles by the 2nd National Guard Corps "Khartia" aimed to disable the pipeline; following it, the spokesman reports no effective infiltrations have been recorded. - Tregubov reported the presence of mercenaries from Latin America, Africa, and less frequently Asia within the Russian army in the Kharkiv region. The situation in the Kupiansk sector remains one of the most dynamic on the Kharkiv front. Viktor Tregubov, spokesman for the Joint Forces Group, speaking on a telethon broadcast cited by RBC-Ukraine, detailed the balance of forces in the city and the results of the special operation "Veles". According to him, both Ukrainian troops and Russian units, which are entrenching in small groups in the northern districts of the city, remain present in Kupiansk. ### Infiltration through Holubivka and the "gray zone" Tregubov explained that Russian military personnel infiltrated the city, in particular, through the settlement of Holubivka. In his estimation, after Russian units were effectively driven out of Kupiansk, they formed a so-called "gray zone" in Holubivka and used a pipeline for covert infiltration. This, according to the spokesman, allowed several dozen people to infiltrate the northern districts of the city and gain a foothold there. ### Operation Veles and disabling the pipeline As Tregubov noted, Operation Veles aimed to completely disable the pipeline that Russian forces used for covert infiltration in the Kupiansk direction. According to his data, following the operation, no further effective Russian military infiltrations toward Kupiansk have been recorded. The operation is being carried out by the 2nd National Guard Corps "Khartia"; reportedly, it has resulted in the elimination of over a hundred Russian servicemen, dozens taken prisoner, and an underground advance of more than 15 kilometers. ### Condition of buildings as a defense factor The spokesman also compared the extent of destruction in Kupiansk with other cities in the region. According to him, Kupiansk is less destroyed than, for example, Vovchansk, which, in his estimation, has been "reduced to rubble". The capital structures of Kupiansk, Tregubov noted, allow them to be used as shelters and positions, as well as points for certain launches. ### Mercenaries in the ranks of the Russian army Separately, Tregubov reported that mercenaries from Latin America and Africa, and less frequently from Asia, are fighting in the Russian army in the Kharkiv region. According to him, there are not many of them and their combat qualities do not fundamentally differ from other Russian military personnel, but they serve as a source of personnel replenishment. Thus, according to the Ukrainian side, after Operation Veles, the covert infiltration channel via the pipeline in Holubivka was cut off, which, in the spokesman's assessment, has stopped the effective penetration of Russian groups into the northern districts of Kupiansk. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Проникновения врага не было: в ВСУ рассказали о ситуации в Купянске после операции "Велес"](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/proniknennya-voroga-bulo-zsu-rozpovili-situatsiyu-1793182218.html) - Direct statements by Joint Forces Group spokesman Viktor Tregubov on the telethon: infiltration through Holubivka via a pipeline, results of Operation Veles, comparison of destruction in Kupiansk and Vovchansk, presence of mercenaries. Tactical details have not been independently verified. ## FAQ ### Who reported on the situation in Kupiansk? Viktor Tregubov, spokesman for the Joint Forces Group, during a telethon broadcast cited by RBC-Ukraine. ### How did Russian troops penetrate Kupiansk, according to Tregubov? Through Holubivka, where, according to him, a "gray zone" was formed and a pipeline was used for the covert infiltration of several dozen people into the northern districts. ### What is the result of Operation Veles regarding the pipeline? According to the spokesman, the pipeline has been disabled, after which no further effective infiltrations of Russian troops toward Kupiansk have been recorded.