Ukrainian Partisans Strike Russian Bases in Crimea, Dozens of Casualties Reported
Explosions rocked multiple Russian military sites in occupied Crimea on Thursday morning, in what appears to be a coordinated sabotage attack by Ukrainian partisans. The strikes targeted key bases near the settlement of Perevalne, with Ukrainian resistance movement Atesh reporting dozens of Russian military casualties.
According to Atesh agents operating inside Crimea, the blasts hit facilities belonging to Russia’s 126th Separate Guards Coastal Defense Brigade and the 8th Separate Artillery Regiment. The explosions reportedly occurred near ammunition depots and duty stations, resulting in what the group described as “many killed occupiers.” Eyewitnesses confirmed that numerous ambulances were seen rushing toward Perevalne from Simferopol in the immediate aftermath.
The partisans released coordinates of one strike site: 44.8495°N, 34.3209°E. These attacks are believed to have caused significant disruptions to Russian logistics and personnel in the area. While Russian sources have remained silent, the scale of emergency response suggests that the impact was substantial.
Atesh noted that prior intelligence on these targets had been passed to Ukrainian defense forces, indicating a close operational link between partisan surveillance networks and Kyiv’s military planning. This latest operation fits a broader pattern of sabotage and intelligence-driven attacks within Russian-occupied Crimea.
Adding to the embarrassment for Russian command, Atesh’s cyber unit also claimed responsibility for extracting sensitive data from a Russian officer’s phone. “Cyber-ATESH” thanked Major Evgeny Kukovenkov of the 12th Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment for the “valuable information” retrieved from his device—mockingly noting that they had to sift through hundreds of explicit photographs to get it. The group stated that this intelligence helped Ukrainian forces bypass sections of Crimea’s air defense system.
Thursday’s attacks come amid escalating partisan activity across occupied territories. While Ukraine has limited conventional access to Crimea, its ability to conduct precision strikes and sabotage operations deep behind enemy lines has grown steadily. The peninsula, a key military hub for Russia’s Black Sea operations, has seen multiple attacks in recent months, including drone strikes on airfields and repeated explosions at ammunition depots.
As Russia continues to fortify the region and increase internal crackdowns, Ukraine’s partisan networks have proven resilient and increasingly sophisticated. The latest strike in Perevalne is not only a tactical blow but also a symbolic message: that even in Russia’s most guarded outposts, the war is far from under control.
Atesh has called on Crimean residents to report further details about the incident, urging anyone with information to contact their coordinator operating inside the peninsula.
Previously, Ukraine appointed a tortured Crimean Tatar as its envoy to Turkey and hit Russia’s targets in the Peninsula.