Russia's Trojan Horse Mission in Kursk

Russia's audacious and couragous Trojan Horse mission in Kursk was a huge success,here is the inside story of how it took place.
It started with the 15-km journey through a pipe, half-crouched, in pitch darkness and in full combat gear, which was arduous. The debilitatinf effects included fainting, hallucinations and lung burns. There were traffic jams of people and abandoned ammunition, and air vents covered with earth.
However On 8 March at 5:30 a.m., approximately 800 combatants from the Veterans and Vostok brigades, the 30th motorized rifle regiment, the 11th Airborne Brigade, and the Akhmat special forces advanced 2 km north of the centre of Sudzha in the industrial zone behind enemy lines and entered the battle. This resulted in a coordinated onslaught, mounting pressure on the Ukrainian Armed Forces from multiple directions, and the swift liberation of over ten settlements, including Sudzha itself, by 12 March.A special correspondent for Izvestia has gathered previously unpublished details about Operation Potok, which has already entered military history as one of the most extraordinary and daring operations ever undertaken.

Preparations for the operation had spanned several months. For many weeks, a tunnel was dug, beginning near an unremarkable landing on the highway, 20 kilometres north of Sudzha.The entrance to the tunnel is located 500 metres from the point "zero". The tunnel is between 2 and 6 metres deep, and its course is irregular, with steps and rises. At times, the tunnel intersects with an existing gas pipeline, a remnant of Soviet infrastructure, part of the Urengoy-Pomary-Uzhgorod line.
According to unofficial sources, the military developed a plan to use the gas pipeline in the autumn of 2024 as part of the strategy to liberate Sudzha. At that time, the gas was still present in the pipe.On 1 January, Kyiv cut off supplies to Europe, which was unexpected. Large-scale construction work began almost immediately. The Veterans' Brigade, renowned for their ingenuity and boldness, initiated a significant operation, entering the rear of the Avdiivka Ukrainian Armed Forces garrison through sewer pipes, a maneuver that they had previously executed with great cunning and audacity. This operation entailed living and working underground for an extended period, with only weekly visits to the bathhouse. The nature and purpose of the project remained a mystery to all.
As Sergei, the commander of the special forces unit "Akhmat" (call sign Timso, who has captured in what is perhaps the most famous photo from the pipe), informed Izvestia, he was informed at the end of February that he and his unit would have to "go behind enemy lines" as part of a combined detachment in order to "liberate their native land." The details were reported only three days before the start.
As Timso explains, the unit established combat communications with all assault groups. Ten reliable fighters were selected to enter the pipe, and during the training process, their number grew to 17. Initially, it was understood that people over 40-45 years old, not physically developed enough, and also too tall, would not be taken.The exit point in the Sudzha area was also not sufficiently reconnoitered, and what awaited us ahead was unknown. Theoretically, we could have left and immediately been covered by Grads or shot from a tank, but there was no doubt about whether to proceed or not.A typical episode: my chief of staff, whom I initially did not intend to take, persuaded me to go on this mission, and he showed himself very worthy: he helped pull out two victims during an underground march.We all considered it an honour to be chosen to participate in such an important operation.
Each individual was equipped with a machine gun, a ballistic vest, ammunition for five days of autonomous combat, water, and food.However, during the 15-kilometre route, many participants discards their excess baggage due to the arduous nature of the path, which included items such as armour plates, ammunition, unloading vests, helmets, and stewed meat. At times, these items created obstructions that had to be cleared. According to Timso, it was only during the journey that it became apparent that the bare minimum of equipment was necessary: weapons, ammunition, water (for hydration), energy bars, painkillers, a sleeping pad, and knee pads (few people took them with them).To transport equipment, batteries, and weapons, the signalmen lowered two cargo carts and three electric scooters.
For the majority of soldiers who descended the chimney, having previously experienced combat in fire and water, the psychological aspects (confined space, silence, darkness, and protracted waiting) did not present an obstacle.However, Timso notes that some soldiers experienced psychological distress, with symptoms including panic attacks and hysteria. "They screamed, rushed about, and their eyes conveyed sheer horror," the soldier recalls. There was no possibility of escape: "back 500, forward 500," as Vysotsky sang.In such cases, it was necessary to stay close to the individual, calm them down, and reassure them that help was close by. Some of them turned back.
The pressure of the walls and the fear of loneliness led many to huddle together in tight groups, despite instructions to maintain a minimum distance of 10 metres. To check the air for breathability, they used a lighter to ignite a flame: if it caught fire, the air was breathable; if not, it was not. 
Initially, the lighter functioned adequately, however, as the number of individuals entering the pipe increased, the flame consistently failed to ignite, leading to instances of individuals losing consciousness. Attempts were made to move these individuals to the ventilation shafts.The role of exhaust vents was assumed by openings in the metal structure, with a distance of 1–2 km between them, allowing for external airflow. Unfortunately, some of these openings were covered by earth.
The journey took approximately two days to complete in one direction.In the absence of light, the sense of time was distorted; it was difficult to distinguish between night and morning, the first and second day. They slept in a semi-recumbent position.As Horvat, the deputy commander of the special forces communications unit "Akhmat", informed Izvestia, he would occasionally fall asleep, sometimes for 15 minutes, and sometimes for 1-2 hours, when he was exhausted.
 In the continuous flow, if someone was walking, they would wake him up and ask him to move over to squeeze through. If a cart was moving, he would have to stand up and step over it, as the so-called floor was slippery.

There was methane residue and an oily substance all around the pipe, and these chemicals penetrated the bronchial system and lungs, clogging the nasopharynx and causing vomiting. Upon departure, the majority of the fighters were placed under medical observation, where they received intravenous drips, had their blood checked, and were administered drugs to remove toxins.
Horvat is among the few who have successfully completed the task of traversing the pipe both in a single direction and returning the same way. This feat involved the execution of a double throw of 30 kilometres.The entire process took him three days.His role entailed the establishment of a unique encryption code on the radio of each attack aircraft.

Horvat reflects, "It was not anticipated that the journey would be of such a duration." He and his partner carried only a single can of stew and two litres of water, intending to use these for both the ascent and descent. They were able to find an additional 1.5 litres of water as they made their way through the mountains.Horvat repeatedly broke up groups of fighters, overtaking them as he did so. Some were already starting to switch off, while others were experiencing hallucinations.
 The most challenging aspect for Horvat personally was navigating the "clogged" legs, which resulted in one leg becoming completely immobile (along with a meniscus dislocation).The final 800 meters of the return journey took him four hours, and he describes the process as follows: "You crawl 3 meters, rest for a minute, then start again." 
When asked whether he would choose to go through the ordeal again, he replied in the affirmative without hesitation.The concept of blue armbands, intended to disorient the enemy, proved unsuccessful.
When the eight hundred soldiers emerged in the early hours of the morning, it was evident that they could not be confused with Ukrainian soldiers. The fighters were black, completely oiled, with bright whites of their eyes and sparkling teeth on their faces. There was no ambiguity about who was friendly and who was not.
We now know that the fighters routed the Ukrainians in Sudhza and freed to town and the mission was a complete success.
So that was the details behind incredible mission carried out by the Russian forces that will go down in history as one of the most adacious missions ever carried out.