Russian Invaders Build Net Tunnels to Support Logistics in Pokrovsk Offensive

In the Pokrovsk sector, Russian forces are constructing tunnel-like structures made of netting to shield logistical routes from drone attacks.

One such tunnel was spotted in a video posted on the TikTok social media platform by a user identified as kayla_tsk.

The footage was reportedly filmed near the occupied village of Karlivka in the Pokrovsk district of Ukraine’s Donetsk region.

The video captures a driver being forced off the main road due to the destruction of the Karlivka reservoir dam on April 12, 2024, following Russian strikes.

The breach caused an uncontrolled release of water into the Vovcha River, resulting in downstream flooding.

The tunnels are being constructed along the E50 highway, which connects Donetsk with the city of Pokrovsk.

These structures allow the invaders to deliver supplies with relative safety to the occupied cities of Selidove and Novohrodivka, which serve as staging points for the offensive toward Pokrovsk.

The first use of such netting systems by Russian forces was observed in the summer of 2023 near Bakhmut. At the time, they were not continuous tunnels but isolated net sections intended to entangle drones.

Later, in the Kupiansk direction, Russian troops started covering vehicle routes with fishing nets, creating improvised protective corridors.

Observers noted that fishing nets were more effective at interfering with drones than chain-link netting.

While chain-link nets tend to trigger the detonation of FPV drones, fishing nets are more likely to entangle them without causing an immediate explosion.

Although these systems are relatively inexpensive, their installation is labor-intensive. Setting them up requires digging in poles and stretching netting — often under the threat of drone attacks. In addition, large structures of this kind require ongoing maintenance and frequent repairs.