Ukrainian Partisans are Resisting Russian Forces in Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine

According to “Olster,” contact has been made with hundreds of individuals in occupied territories who lead double lives. They go about their regular routines, working and caring for their families, and simultaniously under cover, they participate in resistance activities against the occupying forces.

“A man or woman with military experience is always valuable because their knowledge is essential for organizing operations in the occupied territories,” emphasized Olster in an interview to Jenny Klochko. He noted that the actions of the partisans are not limited to direct combat. Their primary mission is to create an effective network capable of countering Russian special services, carrying out railway explosions, and neutralizing collaborators.

The Ukrainian partisan movement began forming at the start of Russian aggression in 2014 and became significantly more active after the full-scale war started in 2022. One of the well-known partisan movements is “ATESH,” founded by Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars in September 2022. Members of the movement gather intelligence on the movement of Russian troops, primarily in Crimea and other occupied areas.

With the onset of the full-scale invasion, the partisan movement in the occupied territories of Ukraine significantly intensified. In regions such as Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk, and Donetsk, partisans are actively fighting against Russian troops and collaborators using methods of sabotage, diversions, and assassination attempts.

You can watch Olster’s full interview, where he tells the stories of Ukraine’s partisan movement in english here.