Pro-Ukrainian partisans claim sabotage crippled Russian radar before Novorossiysk drone attack

A pro-Ukrainian partisan group named Atesh claims to have sabotaged Russian air defense systems immediately preceding a significant Ukrainian drone attack on oil infrastructure in Novorossiysk. The group alleges that their agents successfully disabled crucial communication and power facilities overnight on May 22nd, rendering Russian radar and surveillance systems ineffective against the incoming drones.

According to Atesh's statements on Telegram, their operatives carried out a series of sabotage acts targeting communication and energy infrastructure in the Novorossiysk area just before the Ukrainian Armed Forces struck the "Grushovaya" oil storage facility. This facility is described as the largest oil terminal in the Caucasus region, with a capacity of approximately 1.2 million tons of oil products and a vital export point for the Russian state company Transneft.

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Agents of our movement carried out a series of sabotage actions on communication and energy infrastructure in the Novorossiysk area ahead of the strike by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the 'Grushovaya' oil storage facility.

Atesh further asserts that their actions specifically involved disabling several communication towers that coordinated Russian air defense operations and damaging a transformer substation that supplied power to military and communication facilities. "Without electricity, large stationary radars lost stable operation. Drone reconnaissance on the approaches to Novorossiysk was practically blinded, and air defense lost the ability to respond in a timely manner to low-flying targets," the group stated.

The Kyiv Independent reported that the Ukrainian General Staff confirmed separate attacks on the Sheskharis oil terminal and the Grushovaya storage facility, as well as on the tanker "Chrysalis," which Kyiv claims belongs to Russia's "shadow fleet." Ukrainian military officials stated that fires broke out at both oil facilities following the attacks. The "Grushovaya" facility is reportedly used to supply fuel and oil products to the Russian military.

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Without electricity, large stationary radars lost stable operation. Drone reconnaissance on the approaches to Novorossiysk was practically blinded, and air defense lost the ability to respond in a timely manner to low-flying targets.