{
  "id": 6084827,
  "title": "Pro-Ukrainian partisans sabotaged communication tower ahead of oil refinery strike, Atesh group claims",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/07/pro-ukrainian-partisans-sabotaged-communication-tower-ahead-of-oil",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-07T02:09:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Kyiv Independent",
    "slug": "kyiv-independent",
    "url": "https://kyivindependent.com/pro-ukrainian-partisans-sabotaged-communication-tower-ahead-of-oil-refinery-strike-atesh-group-claims/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A Russian defector sabotaged a communications tower near Perm, Russia, enabling Ukrainian forces to strike one of Russia's largest oil refineries, according to the Atesh group. The partisan force alleges the serviceman joined their ranks due to discontent with Russian leadership and army conditions. The loss of communication disrupted security and military coordination at the nearby LUKOIL-Permnefteorgsintez refinery, leading to temporary operations suspension. Ukrainian forces had previously attacked the refinery on July 29. The Atesh group has a history of targeting Russian military infrastructure behind Ukraine's lines, including sabotaging an electric substation in southern Russia and an electric locomotive in Lipetsk Oblast.",
  "summary": "The pro-Ukrainian saboteur reportedly contacted the Atesh group, a partisan force operating behind Russian lines, and burned through wiring in a communications tower around the Russian city of Perm, roughly 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Ukraine, in August.",
  "key_points": [
    "Russian defector sabotaged communications tower near Perm, Russia",
    "Atesh group claims sabotage enabled Ukrainian strike on oil refinery",
    "Loss of communication disrupted security and military coordination"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The sabotage highlights the ability of pro-Ukrainian groups to penetrate and disrupt Russian military operations from within, targeting critical infrastructure and coordination systems.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Voice of Ukraine",
        "title": "Atesh says agent destroyed communications tower before Ukrainian strike on Perm refinery",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/06/atesh-says-agent-destroyed-communications-tower-before-ukrainian",
        "published": "2026-09-06T20:59:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}