Imagine being a Russian soldier trapped in a dark, claustrophobic gas pipeline deep in the Kursk region, where every breath is a fight for survival and death lurks around every corner. No, this isn’t a horror movie scene — it’s the grim reality of the Russian military operation known as “Tok.” On July 7, the Telegram channel “Northern Channel” released an 11-minute video titled “Pipe,” revealing the brutal truth of this secret mission through the eyes of the soldiers themselves. And it’s no fairy tale — some suffocated on methane, others lost their minds and committed suicide, while the bodies of their comrades remained trapped inside the pipeline because there was no room to retrieve them.
The main speaker in the video, Igor Garus from Saint Petersburg, confirmed all the horrifying details. Soldiers crawled 16 kilometers through the pipeline without enough food, water, or ventilation. Older soldiers and a young man of just 33 years died from methane poisoning. The wounded had no chance — they were carried out on stretchers but mostly died en route. Members of the Ahmat unit reportedly had access to water because they were closer to the entrance, while others abandoned weapons and equipment in despair.
This operation was not just a military action but a nightmare. Footage from inside the pipeline shows accumulated trash and chaos the soldiers endured. Russian war correspondent Vladimir Romanov claims the deaths were due to complete mismanagement — no ventilation, water, food, or communication. Russian propagandist Anastasia Kashavarova tried to explain the deaths as lung diseases, but Meduza’s analysis points to a lack of evidence for these claims.
Igor Garus says the video was a private conversation and wasn’t meant to be public, but it went viral, casting a dark shadow on Putin’s “great victory.” Is this the price ordinary soldiers pay for the ambitions of the powerful? If you’ve got thoughts on this grim operation, jump into the conversation — maybe it’s time the voices of these forgotten heroes are finally heard.
