foto: The New Yourk Times/Ukrainian partisans target Russian railways
Ukraine’s Atesh network has moved the battle behind the lines. Sabotage on a key route forced delays in Russian fuel and materiel.
The Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh systematically disrupts Russian military logistics in the occupied territories. Their sabotage operations halt supplies and slow the movement of materiel, significantly complicating Russian operations.
More than three years after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the battlefield is not confined to the front line. Deep within the occupied territories and even inside Russia itself operate people who do not use heavy weapons or uniforms, yet whose actions can deliver tangible blows to enemy forces. The Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar partisan movement Atesh is one of the most striking examples of this hidden war. Members of Atesh have been behind a number of sabotage actions that have slowed or completely stopped the supply of Russian units. They recently succeeded with another operation, this time in the occupied part of Kherson region.
A Blow to the Occupiers’ Rail Artery
During the night of Sunday, 27 July 2025, partisans carried out sabotage on the railway line between the villages of Safonovo and Novoaleksejevka, i.e., in the area north of the Crimean Peninsula. According to information from the Atesh movement, they damaged a relay cabinet, which disrupted the functioning of the railway infrastructure. The result was a temporary halt and delays in deliveries of military materiel and fuel destined for Melitopol, a city that is a key logistics hub for Russian forces in southern Ukraine.
The newspaper Ukrainska Pravda noted that this action has a strategic impact on the occupied part of Zaporizhzhia region as well. A significant portion of supplies for Russian units is headed there, and any disruption to transport means complications for their operations.
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Atesh in Russia and Occupied Ukraine: A Network of Resistance
The Atesh partisan movement operates in the occupied areas of Ukraine and on the territory of Russia itself. Its members work covertly, often using local knowledge and contacts, with the aim of disrupting the infrastructure that Russian forces need to conduct the war.
The movement has already carried out several successful attacks. At the beginning of December, they sabotaged the railway line from Moscow to Kursk region, thereby slowing the movement of military supplies. In June last year, they succeeded with a diversion that destroyed the Russian R-441 Liveň satellite communications station in the town of Klin in Moscow region. Such operations not only delay the movement of equipment and troops but can also disrupt the ability of Russian forces to coordinate operations on the battlefield.
The Importance of Sabotage for Ukraine’s Defence
Sabotage actions such as the one in Kherson region have several benefits for Ukraine. The direct effect is obvious: delays in the delivery of weapons, ammunition and fuel can weaken enemy units at critical moments. The indirect effect is psychological: the Russian command must be aware that even deep in the rear its infrastructure is not safe. These operations are also proof that resistance to occupation does not end where the sound of artillery ceases. Local residents, often at high risk to their own lives, are actively involved in the fight to liberate their regions.
The success of each such action is paid for with considerable danger to those who carry it out. Russian security forces in the occupied areas actively search for members of partisan networks, conduct raids and impose harsh punishments. Nevertheless, the Atesh movement manages to continue its operations and keep its activities running.
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Impact on Russian Logistics
Rail transport is essential for Russian military supply. Unlike road transport, it makes it possible to move large volumes of materiel quickly over long distances. Damage to key elements such as relay cabinets or points can cause a chain of problems from delays and overloads on other routes to logistical chaos in rear areas.
Disruption of the route between Safonovo and Novoaleksejevka also has strategic significance because this line connects Crimea with mainland supply routes. Restrictions on movement on this railway put pressure on alternative, lower-capacity routes, complicating supplies for Russian forces, particularly in Melitopol and the northern part of Crimea.
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The Atesh movement follows in the tradition of partisan warfare, which has a long history in Ukraine. Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, partisan actions have become one of the means of confronting a militarily stronger opponent. Modern technologies—from encrypted communications and drones to remotely conducted sabotage—give these groups opportunities their predecessors did not have.