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‘Those guys descended into the underworld’ See a Yekaterinburg church’s exhibition glorifying Russia’s pipeline raid — full-scale replica included

Source: Meduza

The Church on the Blood in Yekaterinburg, Russia, has set up an open-air exhibition to commemorate “Operation Stream” — during which Russian soldiers crawled through part of a defunct gas pipeline to get behind Ukrainian lines near Sudzha, as part of an operation to retake territory in the Kursk region.

The main exhibit, unveiled on March 25, is a replica of the pipeline itself. At the opening ceremony, according to the local outlet 66.ru, Metropolitan Yevgeny Kulberg gave a speech. “The feat of those guys who descended into the underworld with absolutely no guarantee that anyone would come out — it stirs the heart,” he said. “Like in the tale of Koschei the Deathless, our warriors went deep inside, reached the egg, and broke the needle.”

Father Alexey Skripkin, a priest who took part in Operation Stream, walked through the pipeline carrying white doves, which he then released. The ceremony also featured a performance by singer Vika Tsyganova, who sang a song called “Truba” (“Pipe”), with the chorus: “Pipe — that’s a Russian word! / Pipe — that means trouble! / Pipe — you’re in for it, for sure! / Pipe! Pipe! Pipe!”

Meduza shares photos taken at the exhibit.

Preparations for the exhibition opening in Yekaterinburg. March 24, 2025.
Donat Sorokin / TASS / Profimedia
Visitors at the exhibition. March 25, 2025.
Donat Sorokin / TASS / Profimedia

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The replica pipeline installed in Yekaterinburg is 16 meters long (about 50 feet) and 1,420 millimeters (56 inches) in diameter. March 25, 2025.
 Pavel Lisitsyn / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia
At the exhibition opening, visitors were invited to walk through the pipe “to experience the atmosphere of Operation Stream.” March 25, 2025.
Donat Sorokin / TASS / Profimedia
In addition to the pipe, the exhibition includes photographs of soldiers and other images from the scene, according to TASS. March 25, 2025.
 Pavel Lisitsyn / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia
The exhibition was organized by the Church on the Blood and the Tsarsky Cultural and Educational Center. March 25, 2025.
 Pavel Lisitsyn / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia
Vika Tsyganova performed several songs, including “Pipe.” March 25, 2025.
Donat Sorokin / TASS / Profimedia
The exhibition’s opening drew “children from cadet classes and Cossack organizations, Suvorov Military School cadets, folk performance groups, and students from schools, colleges, and universities,” reported E1.ru. March 25, 2025.
 Pavel Lisitsyn / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia
As Meduza previously reported, it remains unclear what impact Operation “Pipe” (or “Stream”) had on Russia’s offensive in the Kursk region — but Russian state television channels claimed it “would go down in the history books.” March 25, 2025.
 Pavel Lisitsyn / RIA Novosti / Sputnik / Profimedia
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