Key facts
- Two Russian men, Ivan and Foma, claim to be working with Ukraine's military intelligence service on sabotage operations within Russia.
- Ivan alleges involvement in drone attacks on strategic bombers and munitions factories.
- Foma runs a network that surveils Russian officers for potential targeting by Ukraine.
- Ukraine's military intelligence service confirmed Ivan and Foma are working for the agency but acknowledged limitations in verifying all activities.
- Foma estimates his network numbers 300-500 volunteers within Russia.
- Ivan claims to have been involved in a plan to strike Russia's largest military drone factory at Yelabuga in June last year.
Two Russian men, identified as Ivan and Foma, have provided rare accounts of alleged sabotage operations targeting military assets and personnel within Russia, working with Ukraine's intelligence services. Ivan claims to have participated in Ukrainian drone attacks on strategic bombers and munitions factories on Russian soil. Foma, living in exile in Poland, reportedly runs a network of undercover volunteers inside Russia who surveil high-level officers for Ukraine's military intelligence service, the GUR. The GUR has confirmed both men work for the agency, though they acknowledge limitations in verifying all activities. Ivan and Foma state they are ideologically opposed to President Putin's regime and believe their actions aim to hasten the war's outcome. Ivan described surveilling military sites and hiding drone components, while Foma detailed training volunteers on surveillance techniques and mapping military targets. Both men emphasized the risks involved and the need for decentralized operations to avoid detection.