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The underground Crimean Tatar group taking up arms against Russia

By Julian Borger

17 Jul 2023 · 4 min read

informed Summary

  1. A Crimean Tatar-led underground movement, including the Atesh guerrilla group, is active in Russian-occupied Crimea, according to veteran community leader Mustafa Dzemilev. Atesh, created in September last year, primarily carries out acts of sabotage within the Russian army and has claimed responsibility for several attacks.

A Crimean Tatar-led underground movement is already active behind Russian lines and hundreds of young Tatar men are ready to take up arms to liberate the occupied peninsula, a veteran community leader has said.

Mustafa Dzemilev, widely seen as the godfather of the Crimean Tatar rights movement, pointed to operations by the Atesh guerrilla group, comprising Crimean Tatars, Ukrainians and Russians, in Crimea and other occupied Ukrainian regions.

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