Inside the shadowy world of anti-Putin sabotage from within Russia
Two men tell of the work they say they have been doing to support Ukrainian intelligence during the war.
Two Russian operatives, identified as Ivan and Foma, have spoken out to the BBC about their involvement in sabotage operations against Russian military targets. Ivan claims he was instrumental in Ukrainian drone strikes on strategic bombers and munitions factories within Russia. Foma, based in exile in Poland, runs a network of undercover volunteers in Russia who monitor high-level officers targeted by Ukraine's military intelligence service, the GUR.
Foma provided intelligence on Lt Gen Fanil Sarvarov's assassination, which occurred in Moscow in December, to the Ukrainians. Both men stress their opposition to President Vladimir Putin's regime and believe the war with Ukraine will lead to his downfall. They describe their tactics as targeting military assets and personnel, using drones and reconnaissance to weaken Russia's military capabilities.
However, their claims remain unverified due to the clandestine nature of their activities and the lack of official confirmation from Ukrainian authorities.
Written by urgent.news from BBC News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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