Operation #Veles: Ukrainian Warriors Open a New Dimension of Warfare — the Underground World. Today, the 2nd Corps of Ukraine's National Guard, #Khartiia, revealed details of a unique counteroffensive operation codenamed "Veles" in the Kupiansk sector. Russian forces had been attempting to use gas pipelines to infiltrate behind Ukrainian lines undetected. But Ukrainian defenders did more than simply disrupt these plans. They seized the initiative and launched an underground counteroffensive of their own. Over 15 kilometers of advances through underground infrastructure, coordinated operations with ground units, and synchronized drone strikes. According to Khartiia, Russian forces suffered more than 100 casualties, while over 30 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner. This is one of those moments when Ukrainian military ingenuity quite literally opens a new dimension of modern warfare. Volunteers from the international InformNapalm community, which includes members from various countries across Central and Eastern Europe, paid particular attention to the operation's name and its symbolic significance. Veles is one of the most mysterious deities of the pre-Christian Slavic world. A patron of magical knowledge, wealth, and cattle, he is also widely interpreted in mythological reconstructions as the ruler of the lower realm — the underworld. In reconstructions of ancient Slavic beliefs, Veles is associated with the earth, its depths, hidden treasures, and the realm of the dead. Some mythological interpretations also depict him in serpentine form — a being capable of moving between worlds and changing his appearance. And what makes this particularly fascinating is that Veles belongs not only to Ukrainian heritage but also to the broader #European cultural heritage. In 15th-century Old Czech texts, Veles appears as a figure whose name had become associated with supernatural forces and the otherworld. In Polish scholarship on Slavic mythology, we encounter Weles (Wołos), whose possible traces of worship have been investigated among early Polish tribes. Meanwhile, researchers of Slovak folklore have identified possible echoes of Veles's ancient attributes in the figure of Saint Blaise, traditionally associated with livestock and wolves. In other words, the name of this Ukrainian military operation reaches deep into the ancient cultural layers of Europe, shared by many peoples of Central and Eastern Europe. It takes us back to an age long before modern national borders existed, when myths were already taking shape — myths that would survive for centuries. And today, Ukrainians are giving this ancient figure a new meaning. As the skies above the battlefield have become almost transparent to reconnaissance drones, Ukrainian forces have learned to fight and prevail even in an environment the enemy considered its hidden advantage. Modern technology, engineering ingenuity, intelligence, and unconventional tactics have converged with the symbolism of some of the oldest traditions of our land. There is a certain historical beauty in this. The name of a deity our ancestors associated with the underworld now belongs to a Ukrainian military operation that turned the underground routes used by Russian invaders into traps for the invaders themselves. The Russians thought they could hide from Ukrainian warriors underground. But they forgot whose land they had invaded. Ukrainian soil has deep roots. And the enemy cannot hide even beneath them.

“America First, always”? That's a bold claim, Mr. Hegseth, given the growing questions about whether President #Trump's #Russia policy serves American interests or gives Putin the upper hand. In 1994, Ukraine agreed to relinquish the nuclear weapons on its territory. The United States, Russia and the United Kingdom pledged to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and existing borders. Russia violated those commitments by invading Ukraine. Today, Trump's pressure on Kyiv, alongside sanctions relief for Moscow, raises serious questions about Washington's commitment to those principles. Our international volunteer intelligence community includes Americans who share the concerns expressed by Ukrainians and other Europeans about this policy. So here is a question for the Secretary of Defense: How does pressuring a country that gave up nuclear weapons, while easing pressure on the country that invaded it, serve America's national security interests? And what message does that send to every other nation considering nuclear disarmament?

One can only add that the United States itself, as a #NATO member, has taken no measures to deter the aggressor. On the contrary, its actions in recent months seem to have only emboldened #Putin to escalate further.

🇰🇷 InformNapalm is expanding its Korean-language website! We're translating more investigations and reports to make our research accessible to Korean-speaking readers. Our translations may not be perfect, but we're working to improve them. Explore our Korean edition: 🇰🇷 informnapalm.org/kr/ #SouthKorea 🇰🇷

Quite symbolic: searching #Russia on X right now brings up two posts side by side — one from the Russian Foreign Ministry @mfa_russia and another featuring InformNapalm’s investigation. The contrast speaks for itself. #nafofella #NAFO

Russische Verbindungen in Bulgarien: Alfa-Metals Kontakte zu Veteranen russischer Spezialeinheiten informnapalm.org/at/alfa-met…

🪓 Looks like we've found those elusive #Tomahawks that, according to #Trump, the US supposedly gave #Ukraine, only for Ukraine to sell them on the open market. Here they are on video. Two of them, actually. 😁 ❗️Jokes aside, we're putting the finishing touches on a new CYBINT investigation, prepared jointly with 256 Cyber Assault Division. This Monday, we'll reveal previously unknown details about an influential senior Russian State Duma official, his connections in #France, and what we uncovered through leaked private correspondence. 🔔 Follow @InformNapalm and turn on post notifications so you don't miss the investigation. Stay tuned!