Ukraine says its forces have taken ground after a secret operation named "Veles," according to De Telegraaf. The Dutch outlet reports that the operation involved Ukrainian troops using pipelines to get around and encircle Russian forces.
De Telegraaf published the claim on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, in a live news update. The report attributes the territorial gains to Ukraine.
The available reporting does not specify the location of the operation, how much ground was taken, or how many troops were involved. It also does not say when the operation took place.
Pipeline routes have featured in earlier fighting in this war, where confined underground passages offer cover from drones and observation. De Telegraaf's account presents the Veles operation as a case of Ukrainian forces using such a route to get behind Russian positions rather than meeting them head-on.
The claim has not been independently confirmed in the material available, and no Russian response to the reported encirclement is included in De Telegraaf's update.
What to watch next: whether Ukraine or Russia provides further detail on the operation's location and outcome, and whether independent sources corroborate the reported gains.
