The Rukh Oporu (Ukrainian: Рух Опору) (MUN A0987) also known as the Resistance Movement is a corps-level unit of the Special Operations Forces of Ukraine tasked specifically with organizing, establishing, funding, training and coordinating as well as directly partaking in the Ukrainian resistance in Russian-occupied Ukraine employing sabotage, psychological as well as direct and indirect forms of warfare to disrupt the activities of the occupying forces and to demoralize their troops. It was covertly established in 2014 but was formally established in 2021.
| Rukh Opuro | |
|---|---|
| Рух Опуро | |
 Corps Insignia | |
| Active | 2014-present |
| Country |  Ukraine |
| Allegiance | Ukraine |
| Branch |  Ukrainian Ground Forces (2014-2016) Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (2016-) |
| Type | Partisan |
| Role | Special Operations |
| Size | Corps |
| Part of | Ukrainian Special Operations Forces |
| Nickname(s) | Resistance Movement |
| Engagements | Russo-Ukrainian War |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Vitaly Verbytsky |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |  |
History
editIt was covertly established following the Russian occupation of Crimea in 2014,[1][2] and was officially established under the law "On the foundations of national resistance" in 2021[3][4] composed of partisan, underground and auxiliary forces.[5]
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it heavily coordinated the Ukrainian resistance in Russian-occupied Ukraine. On 4 June 2022, the Corps destroyed a Russian communication center in the occupied Kharkiv Oblast.[6] On 27 July 2022, it destroyed a group of Russian soldiers in Kherson Oblast and seized their documents.[7] Yellow Ribbon movement was also organized by it.[8] On 13 October 2023, the Corps conducted a sabotage operation in Melitopol targeting a train carrying fuel and ammunition, 150m railway and a locomotive were damaged.[9] It also sabotaged ground communication lines in Luhansk Oblast.[10] In August 2024, the corps released a video showcasing its operations in Yevpatoria in Crimea.[11] Its operations were spread throughout the entirety of occupied territory.[12] In September 2024, it published a video of a Molotov cocktail attack near a railroad in Crimea.[13] Also, in September 2024, it conducted a demoralizing campaign using leaflets.[14] In 2024, the number of the crops personnel was claimed to be in several thousands although the exact number was kept classified.[15]
Operational secrecy
editThe number of personnel of the corps and the details of many of its operations are "state secrets" and are not disclosed including the name of its commander who's an undisclosed officer with the rank of a colonel.[2] Even the families of the operatives are not provided information about the operations.[16] It coordinated attack on the Lipetsk airfield damaging Su-34, Su-35 and MiG-31 aircraft and an ordinance factory in Nizhny Novgorod region that produced explosives for bombs and artillery ammunition as well as UAV strikes in Lipetsk, Tula, Ryazan, Oryol, Ivanovo, Kursk, Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow regions.[17]
Tasks
editThe tasks of the detachment include:[11][18]
- Establishment, training, funding and providing equipment to resistance and partisan movements
- Hindering the operations of Russian forces via sabotage operations
- Special Operations
- Preparation of Ukrainian citizens for resistance movements
- Cyber operations
- Nonviolent resistance
- Covert operations within the recognized territory of Russia[11]
Commanders
edit- Colonel Vitaly Verbytsky[a]
Structure
edit
National Resistance Center
Kharkiv Resistance Center
Khmelnytskyi Resistance Center
Kyiv Resistance Center
Oleksandriia Resistance Center
Zakarpattia Resistance Center
Rukh Opuro North
Tactical Group Kruk
Notes
edit- ^ Reportedly, officially undisclosed
References
edit- ^ Як пов'язані рух опору, ССО і тероборона: пояснення законопроєкту «Про національний спротив»
- ^ a b "How the covert Ukrainian resistance movement is operating behind Russian lines". Sky News. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Про основи національного спротиву". Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Як українські партизани чинять опір російській окупації на півдні України". BBC News Україна (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Кілька фактів про Рух опору та Сили спеціальних операцій ЗСУ". espreso.tv (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ Конопльова, Марина (2022-06-04). "Рух опору ССО виявив та знищив станцію зв'язку окупантів на Харківщині (ВІДЕО)". ШоТам (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ На Херсонщині рух опору ліквідував групу окупантів та здобув їхні шифри та мапи
- ^ "Yellow Ribbon guerrillas lead Ukraine's resistance effort". CS Monitor. 9 August 2022. Archived from the original on 13 October 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
- ^ "ССО: Партизани підірвали в окупованому Мелітополі потяг – DW – 13.10.2023". dw.com (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ Командувач ССО ЗС України: створено розгалужену систему Руху опору на всіх операційних напрямках
- ^ a b c "ССО запустили кампанію про спротив у тилу". Мілітарний (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ РУХ ОПОРУ ССО ЗСУ: КОЖЕН УКРАЇНЕЦЬ МОЖЕ ЗРОБИТИ СВІЙ ВНЕСОК У БОРОТЬБУ
- ^ Є свої навіть в Криму: ССО закликали долучатись до конспіративної армії України (відео)
- ^ На голову окупантам скидають проукраїнські листівки
- ^ Майор спецназу запевнив, що рух опору буде ключовим у будь-якій майбутній спробі змусити ворога вийти з Криму.
- ^ Коли ти агент, цього не знає навіть дружина. Як і кого вербують у бійці руху опору
- ^ "Результат – завжди перемога": ССО закликали українців з окупованих територій приєднуватись до Руху опору. Відео
- ^ "Командувач ССО: Рух опору діє на всіх операційних напрямках". Українська правда (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-10-16.