Reports indicate that during Operation Potok in Russia's Kursk region, a number of soldiers reportedly died from asphyxiation, took their own lives, or perished in frantic attempts to escape through a pipeline, according to statements from a Russian military official.

Several Russian soldiers who traveled through a gas pipeline in Sudzha, Kursk Region, may have suffocated, taken their own lives, or perished in a state of panic. The Severny Kanal Telegram channel shared footage featuring a man believed to be involved in Operation Potok recounting these events. ASTRA later identified and interviewed this individual.

According to ASTRA, analysts from the Conflict Intelligence Team (CIT) previously suggested that the "Northern Channel" might be linked to Ukraine’s Center for Information and Psychological Operations (CIPSO), known for spreading disinformation. However, ASTRA reporters located the serviceman shown in the video, who corroborated the earlier statements. The man was identified as Igor Garus, a resident of St. Petersburg.