The Times: Blowing Up Oil And Ammunition Depots In Russia Is Work Of Ukrainian Special Forces

SOF fighters are carrying out sabotage operations deep inside Russia's rear.

A unit of the Ukrainian Special Operations Forces is carrying out sabotage missions on the territory of Russia, in particular by destroying ammunition depots and oil storages.

The Times has reported this, citing comments by an unnamed Ukrainian intelligence officer and two 25-year-old sergeants of the SOF unit, whose call signs are "Twenty Second" and "Handsome».

The fighters themselves did not reveal the purpose of their covert operations inside the deep rear of the Russian occupiers, but journalists concluded that the explosions at weapons depots and oil depots in Russia were most likely related to the activities of Ukrainian special forces, writes Ukrainska Pravda.

Both "Handsome" and "Twenty Second" have been taking part in combat operations against Russian forces since the start of the hybrid war in Donbass in 2014. They have undergone lengthy training to become SOF fighters.

"The Russians are still not able to understand how this (sabotage - note) happens, they cannot believe that we can be there (on Russian territory - note)," "Handsome" said.

Late at night, Ukrainian helicopters, moving low above the ground, deliver Ukrainian special forces fighters to the territory of the Russian Federation. Members of the 10th Special Forces detachment called "Shaman" are involved in these operations.

The members of this unit are skilled in carrying out sabotage and reconnaissance operations behind enemy lines. They are skilled in scuba diving, mountain fighting and parachuting.

These fighters are also involved in training and instructing new recruits, primarily in military tactics. They say the recruits often have high morale, but lack proper equipment and weapons, so the Special Forces take it upon themselves to train them to survive on the battlefield.

The special forces fighters have to help the recruits on the front line, those who cannot withstand the psychological pressure of constant bombardment by artillery and aviation. At times they have to arrange for the evacuation of the wounded at the battlefield and to maintain communication channels and supply lines until the newly formed units can do it themselves.

Speaking to journalists, the two fighters thanked western partners for providing them with weapons, equipment and gear, but for all that, they say, there is a shortage of weapons and equipment because of the high intensity of combat operations. Military vehicles, heavy armoured vehicles and NLAW are needed most of all.

Interlocutors complain that sometimes they have to sacrifice something because the equipment breaks down quickly. They try to get close to the Russians in the trenches and the rear, but the worn-out equipment is sometimes making a lot of noise when they have to crawl on the ground.

"We try to crawl up to them, camouflage on the ground. It's very hard when you have a lot of equipment, loads of bullets and grenades, it's very pressing because of its weight and that makes it even harder to crawl.

However, we do manage to get close to them and take them by surprise. The first Russian, when he saw me, was so lost, because he couldn't imagine it was true. While he got lost, I shot him, maybe from 7 metres away, the bullet went under his bulletproof vest. I always try to shoot them in the testicles because there is no armour there. This is 100% guaranteed to kill the enemy: I sever his arteries and shatter his pelvic bone. He can't crawl, he can't run, he can't do anything. It is impossible to give medical attention to a man with such a wound. You can't administer a tourniquet or a bandage," said "Twenty Second".

At the beginning of the large-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops, the unit was thrown in to defend the Antonov State Enterprise airport in Gostomel, where Russian airborne troops were landing.

"We took up positions in hangars and barracks, from which we carried out contact small arms combat (with the occupants - note) for four hours, until they sent us National Guard fighters to rotate.

The first hours of the battle (for the airport in Gostomel - note) were total chaos," said "Handsome".

They were then sent to defend positions in the village of Moshchun in order not to allow the Russians to cross the Irpen river and swamps in that area, which would have opened a direct path to the north of right-bank Kyiv.

Three groups mopped up the village and entrenched themselves in the forest belt that ran along the river. When the Russians started firing with heavy artillery, they hid in the houses in the village. Soon the Russians arrived by two APCs to cross the river. The special forces fighters waited for the Russians to enter the very centre of the village, where they could be surrounded from all sides.

"We were shooting at them from a distance of five to ten metres. We always try to get close enough to see the enemy's face, because they can't use artillery in such a fight.

They have many times more artillery than we do, but their morale is very low, they are afraid to enter close combat. It is difficult psychologically to withstand a small arms battle where anyone can throw a hand grenade and an underbarrel grenade launcher," said "Twenty-Second".

Forcing the Russians to retreat, they destroyed the Russian APCs with British NLAW anti-tank handheld systems. They then retreated back to Moshchun as it was about 10pm.

According to "Handsome", their thermal camera batteries were not working. But they received information that 50 more Russians with armoured vehicles were coming in their direction to cross the river.

The Ukrainian fighters took up positions in the buildings in the centre of the village.

"My comrade heard their commander give the command to go ahead and check the village. They rushed into the fight shouting. But they had made a mistake, going deep into the village. So we killed them all," said "Handsome".

After the Russian troops retreated from Kyiv, the Shaman fighters were following the Russians and striking at them from the rear until they crossed the border with Belarus.

By the time Russia's large-scale invasion began, the Shaman fighters had managed to join combat missions in Afghanistan alongside British and American fighters. The unnamed Ukrainian intelligence officer says these commandos are "the most advanced fighters in the Ukrainian Special Forces, the best and the bravest ones".