Inside the shadowy world of anti-Putin sabotage from within Russia
Two Russian men secretly working for Ukraine's intelligence services have given rare accounts of operations they claim to have been involved with, that have targeted military assets and personnel inside Russia.
TL;DR
- Two Russian men, Ivan and Foma, claim to be working for Ukraine's intelligence services (GUR) on operations within Russia.
- Ivan alleges participation in Ukrainian drone attacks against strategic bombers and munitions factories on Russian soil.
- Foma operates a network of volunteers in Russia to surveil Russian military officers for Ukraine's GUR, stating his team verifies targets are 'military criminals'.
- Both men are ideologically opposed to Putin's regime and the war in Ukraine, hoping their actions will hasten the war's end.
- The GUR has confirmed Ivan and Foma work for the agency but acknowledges limitations in knowing the full picture and verifying all claims.
- Ukraine officially acknowledges a strategy of coordinated drone attacks and the use of secret agents inside Russia.
- Operations are extremely risky, with operatives like Ivan facing severe penalties if caught, while Foma emphasizes remote training and avoiding group structures to minimize compromise.
- Both men stress that civilian harm is not the aim, though Foma later confirmed his network's intelligence contributed to the assassination of Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov.