Kathrine Frich
A kitchen ingredient was allegedly all it took to halt a high-value Russian military system.
A Ukrainian-linked resistance movement says one of its agents sabotaged electronic warfare equipment before it reached the battlefield.
Covert operation
The Atesh partisan movement announced on February 12 that a Russian soldier acting as its agent disabled a vehicle equipped with the “Omut” electronic warfare system in Russia’s Bryansk region.
According to the group, the operative carried out the sabotage at a communications equipment repair and storage facility.
Atesh claims the agent acted undercover and immobilised the vehicle before it could be deployed toward the Sumy direction.
The movement alleges that “a little sugar” was poured into the fuel tank of the specialised vehicle.
Strategic equipment
United24Media describes the Omut system as a valuable asset for Russian forces.
The equipment is designed to shield troop columns and defensive positions from drone attacks by providing electronic countermeasures near the front lines.
Atesh says contaminated fuel can cause a heavy vehicle’s engine to fail at the start of a mission, potentially leaving it stranded and unable to reach its assigned position.
If disabled on open roads, the group argues, such equipment could become an easy target for Ukrainian drone strikes.
Growing network
The movement claims the sabotage is part of a broader campaign targeting Russian military logistics.
“We continue to expand our network of agents within the Russian Armed Forces. We systematically set traps for enemy logistics even before they leave for the battlefield,” the group said.
“Now, every departure of Russian crews is a lottery, with their lives and scarce equipment at stake,” the statement added.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Sources: United24Media, WP.
