The Rise of the Russian Resistance: How Anti-Putin Partisans Are Fighting Back Against the War on Ukraine

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 sparked a wave of protests and dissent across Russia, as millions of people expressed their opposition to the war and the authoritarian regime of Vladimir Putin. But some of the most daring and radical actions against the Kremlin have been carried out by a network of underground groups that call themselves "partisans" - saboteurs, hackers, and guerrillas who are waging a covert war against the Russian state and its war machine.

The partisans are not a unified movement, but a loose alliance of various factions that share a common goal: to stop the war on Ukraine and to overthrow Putin's regime. They have different ideologies, from anarcho-communists to nationalists, and different tactics, from arson and vandalism to cyberattacks and armed raids. But they all operate in secrecy, using encrypted communication channels, pseudonyms, and masks to conceal their identities and avoid detection by the security forces.

The partisans claim to have carried out hundreds of attacks on military, police, and government targets across Russia since the start of the war, as well as on civilian supporters of the war and the regime. Some of the most notable actions include:

- Destroying railway lines and a cell-phone tower near the Ukrainian border, disrupting the transportation and communication of Russian troops and equipment.
- Setting fire to dozens of military enlistment offices, police stations, and vehicles bearing the letter Z insignia (a symbol of support for the war).
- Hacking and leaking sensitive information from the Belarusian and Russian security agencies, exposing their involvement in the war and the repression of dissent.
- Shelling the town of Shebekino, near the Ukrainian border, with mortar fire, killing and injuring several Russian soldiers and civilians.

The partisans say they are motivated by a sense of patriotism, justice, and solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who are defending their sovereignty and democracy against the Russian aggression. They also say they are inspired by the historical examples of the Soviet partisans who fought against the Nazi occupation during World War II, and the Ukrainian partisans who resisted the Soviet regime in the post-war period.

The partisans face a formidable enemy in the Russian state, which has deployed its full arsenal of repression and propaganda to crush the resistance and silence the dissent. The Russian authorities have arrested, tortured, and killed many suspected partisans and their sympathizers, as well as journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens who have spoken out against the war. The Russian media have portrayed the partisans as terrorists, traitors, and foreign agents, and have accused them of being sponsored by the CIA, NATO, or other external forces.

The partisans acknowledge the risks and challenges they face, but they say they are determined to continue their fight until the end. They say they are not afraid of death, but of living in a country ruled by a dictator who is destroying the lives and futures of millions of people. They say they are not alone, but part of a growing resistance movement that is spreading across Russia and beyond. They say they are not hopeless, but hopeful that their actions will inspire others to join them and to change the course of history.

The partisans are the most radical and violent expression of the anti-war and anti-Putin sentiment that has erupted in Russia since the invasion of Ukraine. They are also a reflection of the deepening crisis and polarization that the war has caused in the Russian society and politics. They are a challenge and a threat to the Russian regime, but also a potential catalyst and a force for change. They are the rise of the Russian resistance..