On Tuesday morning, it was reported that anti-Putin Russians operating as the Freedom of Russia Legion conducted a raid that damaged a Sukhoi Su-24 (NATO reporting name: Fencer) tactical bomber at the Sukhoi Superjet Company’s aviation plant in Novosibirsk, in the south of Siberia. The unit announced its actions via the Telegram social messaging platform.
“As we were informed, the plane was successfully burnt out. It will no longer need repairs,” the group stated.
The guerrilla force added, “You can’t fight for peace by killing children and women in a neighboring country. The Kremlin has indeed ‘managed to repeat’ the crimes of the Nazi regime against humanity, and everyone involved will be held accountable for it in court.”
The Freedom of Russia Legion was formed in March of last year. It is made up of defectors of the Russian military, as well as other Russian and Belarusian volunteers, and reportedly consists of two battalions, and its members have called for the preservation of a united and indivisible Russia within the borders of 1991.
It now fights under a white-blue-white tricolor flag, while its members claim to stand for democracy, individual liberty, and against separatism within Russia, according to its Telegram posts.
Its members share a common goal, the downfall of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin has countered that the Freedom of Russia Legion doesn’t actually exist, and is instead a Ukrainian PR project.
21st Century Partisans
The Freedom of Russia Legion is not alone in conducting guerrilla operations.
In January, a group calling itself BOAK (Russian for “Combat Organization of Anarcho-Communists”) claimed responsibility for damaging a section of tracks along the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk region. The rail line is used by the Russian military to transport supplies to Ukraine.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, there had been 40 acts carried out against the Kremlin by anti-Putin Russians last year. However, some of these efforts aren’t entirely meant to support Ukraine – rather, they’re simply against the current regime. The BOAK group could be described as operating as part of the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” type of scenario, at least for now.
“We are not only against Putin and the war but also against Russian imperialism and against the existing capitalist system of oppression in general,” a BOAK representative told Al Jazeera by email.
Moreover, despite being “communist” in name, it is still very much at odds with Russia’s Communist Party, which embraces Stalinism and has enthusiastically rallied behind Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
“We are disgusted by this fratricidal bloodbath, and we believe only by halting Putin’s aggression we can hope for this to stop and to never happen again,” the BOAK spokesperson added.
Partisan activities continue within occupied parts of Ukraine as well.
Though Moscow largely denies that these groups even exist, just last December, Putin signed legislation into law that punishes the crime of sabotage with up to a life term in prison; as well as up to 20 years for aiding, training, or organizing saboteurs; and up to 10 years for being part of a sabotage group.
Despite the threats, it is likely that such groups will continue to conduct operations to bring down the regime.
Just as the Tsar was so hated by members of the revolutionary movement in the early 20th century, Putin and his government now face a very similar threat.
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Author Experience and Expertise:
A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.