The attack on a Russian military headquarters in Melitopol, a city occupied by Russia, was confirmed by Ukrainian military authorities. This act of sabotage resulted in the death of three officers and is part of a series of attacks aimed at weakening Russia’s control over the territory they occupy, despite the stalled Ukrainian counteroffensive.
Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Unit described the bombing as an act of revenge and reported that at least three Russian national guard officers were killed in the explosion. Russia’s Ministry of Defense has not commented on the incident, and independent verification has been challenging due to its occurrence behind Russian lines.
According to the intelligence unit, the attack caused panic in Melitopol as Russian proxy police officers rushed to the scene with sirens blaring. The burned car near the headquarters was later dragged through the occupied city to the Russian station.
Melitopol, located in southern Ukraine near the Sea of Azov, is a central location for Russian forces and pro-Moscow authorities. It has also become a hotbed for anti-Russian partisans hoping to disrupt Kremlin’s control by carrying out sabotage and assassinations.
Since the early stages of Russia’s invasion, partisan activity has been a key component of Ukraine’s military action in the territories seized by Moscow, which make up roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory. These activities have included numerous attacks against Ukrainian politicians who collaborated with Russian authorities.
In recent weeks, these attacks have intensified, often accompanied by missile and drone strikes against Russian military infrastructure.
Last month, Oleh Tsarov, a former member of Ukraine’s Parliament who supported Moscow’s invasion last year, was reportedly shot in Yalta, a city in the occupied region of Crimea. Additionally, the former head of a pro-Russian militia in Luhansk region, Mykhailo Filiponenko, died in an assassination when his car was blown up.
The Institute for the Study of War, based in Washington, reported that “Ukraine appears to be intensifying attacks against Russian military, logistics, and other high-profile assets in rear areas in occupied Ukraine and Russia.”
These assassinations have occurred as the counteroffensive launched by Kyiv in June has largely stalled, failing to achieve its core objectives of breaching Russian defenses in Zaporizhzhia region and retaking substantial territory in the east.
Military analysts anticipate that progress in the coming weeks will be challenging due to rainy weather and the need for Ukraine’s army to rest and rotate its troops.