In the face of Russia’s ongoing occupation of Crimea, a determined underground resistance movement is working to undermine the Kremlin’s military presence from within. Atesh, a covert group of Crimean Tatar activists, claims to have trained thousands of individuals, including Russian soldiers, in the art of sabotage.
“We are fighting for the liberation of our homeland,” says Rustem, a spokesperson for Atesh. “By targeting Russian military infrastructure and sowing chaos in their ranks, we aim to make the occupation as costly and untenable as possible.”
The Crimean Tatar people, an ethnic minority indigenous to the Crimean Peninsula, have a long and tumultuous history with Russian rule. Deported en masse to Central Asia by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in 1944, they were only allowed to return to their homeland in the 1990s after the collapse of the USSR.
When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, many Tatars found themselves once again under the yoke of Moscow’s authoritarian control. Facing discrimination, political repression, and the threat of forced conscription into the Russian military, some have chosen to take up arms in resistance.
Atesh, which means “fire” in the Tatar language, has emerged as a formidable force in this struggle. Through a network of underground cells, the group provides training in sabotage techniques, including the use of improvised explosive devices (IEDs), the disruption of communication systems, and the infiltration of Russian military installations.
“Our goal is to make life as difficult as possible for the occupiers,” Rustem explains. “We want to sow fear and uncertainty within the ranks of the Russian army, forcing them to divert resources and attention away from their broader objectives.”
While the full extent of Atesh’s activities remains shrouded in secrecy, the group’s actions have not gone unnoticed by the Kremlin. Russian authorities have responded with a crackdown on Crimean Tatar activists, including the arrest and imprisonment of community leaders.
“They try to intimidate us, but we will not be silenced,” says Rustem. “As long as Crimea remains under Russian occupation, there will be those of us willing to fight for our freedom, no matter the cost.”
The struggle of the Crimean Tatars against the Russian occupation has drawn international attention and support, with human rights groups and Western governments condemning the Kremlin’s heavy-handed tactics. However, for the people of Atesh, the fight for their homeland is a deeply personal one, rooted in a history of resistance and a determination to never again succumb to foreign rule.