One of the most feared Ukrainian partisan groups, Atesh, has warned that Russia is not as strong as it appears and could ‘collapse’ as they remained fuelled by a thirst for vengeance against Russia
Insurgents have boldly claimed that Russia is not the powerhouse it is made out to be and could even “collapse” under pressure.
Atesh, a group of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians, has been causing chaos behind enemy lines in the occupied territories.
Named “Fire” in the Crimean Tatar language, Atesh sprang into action following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and have landed some hefty wins against the Kremlin’s forces. They notably obliterated the Black Sea Fleet’s HQ in September 2023, when a missile strike took out the command centre, killing 34 officers and wounding over 100 in a brutal blow to Russia’s naval might.
Atesh insurgents told the Express that Russia has got its weak spots and must be decisively defeated. They said: “Russia is not as strong as it seems. Corruption, demoralisation of the army, sanctions and the resistance of Ukraine make it vulnerable.
“It tries to convey stability, but it may collapse one day, as happened earlier in history. People must understand that unpunished evil will definitely return and repeat its aggression with even greater force.”
Despite Putin’s troops clawing back control on the frontlines last year, with rapid land grabs marking their quickest advances since the war escalated, they’re now eyeing up the strategically vital city of Pokrovsk. Western military analysts are fearful that Ukraine might not clinch victory and should consider peace talks.
However, the Atesh rebels stressed the importance of support for Ukraine from the West, stating: “It is also important to realise that by helping Ukraine, they are primarily investing in their own security.”
The group went on to share details about some of the covert actions they’ve undertaken and the perils of operating in hostile territory. Describing a mission they called the “Ukrainian Night”, they recounted how a local villager in the Kherson region, assisted them in retaliating against Russian soldiers who had terrorised the populace.
They said: “One of the villagers joined the ATESH lavas to punish them. That night, two Russian servicemen were killed by our agent. The agent shot them while they were drunk and under the influence of drugs. After that, he was able to hide the weapon and leave the village by morning.”
The insurgents added: “There were quite a few similar episodes during that period. We actively targeted collaborators and representatives of the occupation administrations. Some of them were eliminated, and some survived.”
Atesh operatives risk torture and death should they be caught by Russian forces, and did acknowledge the fact that executing their missions is becoming increasingly challenging. They said: “The heightened counterintelligence regime poses challenges to our work. Sometimes it’s difficult to even deliver explosives. Moreover, Russian special services are constantly trying to penetrate our ranks.”
The group has come forward claiming that the driving force behind their actions is a thirst for vengeance against the Russians “for their lost loved ones and for those held hostage by the Putin regime.”
They assert that their reach extends throughout Russia, including key cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and claim to be establishing bonds with other Tatar ethnic minorities within the nation.
“We feel the support of representatives of the Turkic and Caucasian peoples in Russia,” they declared. “Therefore, we have many tools to strike at Putin’s war machine.”
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