'This is just the beginning' — Pro-Ukrainian partisans claim sabotage operation at Russian air defense factory
A communications tower has been destroyed at an air defense factory in the Russian city of Tula, the pro-Ukrainian Atesh partisan group claimed on Sept. 11.
"This is an enterprise of the Russian military-industrial complex. It develops air defense systems, rapid-fire guns, and small arms. In particular, the factory workshops assemble the Kornet anti-tank missile system and the Pantsir-S air defense missile system," the group said in a Telegram post.
The Atesh group regularly conducts sabotage operations on military infrastructure in occupied Ukrainian territory and deep within Russia.
Reconnaissance was conducted by the group prior to the attack, and Ukrainian forces have previously successfully hit the factory, Atesh claimed.
"Now we are moving to more active actions and destroying the enterprise's infrastructure — and this is just the beginning!"
The group's claims could not be independently verified by the Kyiv Independent.
Tula is located about 329 kilometers (204 miles) from Ukraine's border with Russia and 174 kilometers (108 miles) south of Moscow.
A day earlier, the Atesh group claimed it had successfully conducted reconnaissance of a Russian military headquarters in St. Petersburg.
Agents collected data on Russian military unit 31807 at the headquarters of the Sixth Combined Arms Army, which is currently partaking in Russia's war against Ukraine near Kupiansk," the group claimed.
"We studied the operating mode and security system of the facility: There is enhanced patrolling, movement of personnel and vehicles is recorded. All obtained information has already been passed on to the (Armed) Forces of Ukraine for further use," Atesh added.
