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"Underground warfare" begins between Russia and Ukraine: tunnels become battlefields

Duration: 3:16 441 transcript words EN summary

Video summary

The evolving nature of modern conflict is driving a significant shift toward underground warfare as ground logistics face increasing complexity due to the proliferation of drones on the battlefield. Yuriy Federenko, commander of the 429th Achilles Unmanned Systems Brigade, argues that the future war will unfold less in the sky and more beneath the surface to ensure the continued supply of frontline units. He emphasizes that both sides are recognizing the necessity of constructing tunnels and underground routes to maintain logistical lines while maximizing the effectiveness of artillery, drones, and other weaponry, acknowledging that human presence on the front lines becomes increasingly dangerous as technology advances and robotization intensifies. In response to recent Ukrainian strikes on drone production facilities in Tatarstan, Russian forces are reportedly accelerating their efforts to move operations underground, such as building workshops in Alabuga. Military experts note that while the concept of subterranean production is gaining traction, it faces severe technological limitations that prevent its full implementation. Specifically, the entire manufacturing process cannot be relocated underground because safety protocols rely on separating explosive assembly stages into small workshops surrounded by earthen embankments; these structures are designed so that a localized explosion in one hangar does not compromise adjacent facilities or spread fire. The feasibility of moving production underground is further complicated by the specific requirements for assembling missiles like the Shahed, which can be housed in relatively small underground hangars, but the core processes involving warhead production and installation remain incompatible with subterranean environments. Experts warn that if explosive manufacturing were conducted underground, any single explosion would likely destroy the entire plant rather than containing damage within a specific sector. Consequently, while the idea of an all-underground industrial complex is often discussed, it remains largely a fantasy disconnected from current technological realities, as the inherent risks of underground explosions make such a transition impractical for high-risk manufacturing stages.

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With the increasing number of drones on the battlefield, ground logistics are becoming increasingly complex. Therefore, the next stage could be a transition to underground warfare. Yuriy Federenko, commander of the 429th Achilles Unmanned Systems Brigade, explained this in a comment to Channel 24. He explained that the transformation of the battlefield into a drone war has created a major problem with supplying frontline units. Federenko added that he agrees with the Charter Corps commander's assessment that the war of the future will unfold not so much in the sky as underground. He believes this is important for understanding the next phase of combat. He says they'll soon have to learn to lay underground routes and build tunnels where possible. This should allow them to supply units on the front lines while simultaneously maximizing the use of artillery, drones, and other weapons. According to Federenko, the enemy is also moving in this direction. He added that the more the battlefield is robotized and the faster technology develops, the more dangerous it becomes for a person to be on the front lines. As a reminder, the Russians are building underground workshops for drone production in Alabuga. Experts speculate that the idea of moving production underground likely occurred to the Russians after the first Ukrainian strikes on this facility in Tatarstan. They also plan to spread the infrastructure across the area and install additional security. At the same time, according to military expert Pavel Narozhny, it is technologically impossible to move all production stages underground. Specifically, explosives are installed in small workshops separated by earthen embankments. This reduces the risk of fire spreading in the event of an explosion. However, if such an explosion occurs underground, the risks [music] to the entire production facility would increase. Many people love to talk about moving production underground, but from a purely technological standpoint, this isn't easy. It's very difficult. Firstly, when we talk about assembling [music] the Shahed missiles, it's more or less feasible, meaning building relatively small hangars underground. But the entire technological process can't be moved underground. For example, warhead production or installation would be there because all of this is done in special factories. Production is located in hangars covered with a very light roof, and each hangar is surrounded by a huge embankment. This is done to ensure that in the event of an explosion, the adjacent hangar remains intact. Now imagine if explosives production were to take place underground. In that case, any explosion would completely destroy the plant. Therefore, moving such production underground is a mere fantasy, but one that bears very, very little relation to reality, he says.