Fearsome anti-Putin Russian rebels rushed to the new northern front to help Ukraine defend itself from Moscow’s onslaught.
It comes as President Zelensky blamed “the world” for Russian forces taking more than 160 kilometers in just one week – the fastest advance in a year.
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On Thursday, the deputy commander of Russia’s Freedom Legion, Maksimilian Andronikov – who goes by the call sign “Caesar” – revealed that they had joined Ukraine on its northeastern border.
The battle-hardened guerrilla group has worked in some of Ukraine’s bloodiest battles and launched attacks on Russia – but will now help bolster Kiev’s defenses in Kharkiv.
Caesar claimed that Russia was becoming more innovative and more difficult to contain.
“They have learned the lessons of war and are using very clever tactics,” he said.
The party leader also claimed that the enemy’s recent successes were due to Ukraine’s lack of artillery, following months of delays in sending Western weapons.
“We feel the deficit. We understand well that if it didn’t exist, the enemy wouldn’t have these successes here or in the Donbas”, he was angry.
Putin’s troops began a new ground offensive on May 10 in the Kharkiv region, after massing more than half a million soldiers on the border.
Ukraine is desperately trying to hold the line against the blitz – considered the first phase of Russia’s summer offensive – while Putin sends troops into meat-grinder raids.
The speed of Moscow’s new attack highlighted the serious shortage of ammunition and manpower that has paralyzed Ukraine and paved the way for the Kremlin army to invade.
According to data from the Institute for the Study of War, Russia gained 99 square miles in Kharkiv and 13 square miles in other areas between May 9 and 15.
Winnie, another Russian fighting for the anti-Putin legion, said: “It’s an unbelievable meat grinder that they are still [sending] your people.”
“The situation is difficult, the intensity is very high, there is fighting almost every ten minutes,” said the mortarman.
One particularly dark innovation that Russia is using in Kharkiv is the increasing use of aerial bombs, which are dropped from planes and often packed with hundreds of kilograms of explosives.
Russia has vast stocks of relatively cheap Soviet-era bombs.
Over the past few months, Russia has managed to make gains on the battlefield by attacking frontline cities and infantry positions with aerial bombs.
“Today four guided aerial bombs arrived, about 500 meters away. I was on the ground and it started vibrating, I was thrown up – and I’m not small,” said Winnie.
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Who are the Russian rebels?
DETERMINED to take the fight to Putin, Russian guerrillas supporting Ukraine have repeatedly launched raids and attacks on Russia’s borders.
The “freedom fighters” – which are independent groups of Russian citizens – were formed primarily in 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Since then, they have grown increasingly stronger with the explicit aim of finally putting an end to the Kremlin regime.
The rebel group first exploded onto the world stage in May 2023, when it crossed the border in tanks and led one of the biggest attacks on Russian soil since Putin came to power.
In a dramatic battle that lasted days, the Russian Freedom Legion (FRL) and the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK) “liberated” eight villages in the Belgorod region, even capturing Russian soldiers and humiliating Vlad in his home territory.
On March 12, anti-Putin paramilitaries returned with more men, more tanks and a new Siberian battalion at their side to lead a two-pronged attack on their homeland in the border regions of Belgorod and Kursk.
They stated that their aim was to disrupt Putin’s sham elections and “reclaim our lands from Putin’s hands”. [Putin’s] centimeter by centimeter regime”.
The battle lasted over a week and they took important villages before retreating, but maintaining pressure on the Russian defenses with small-scale attacks.
Its political chief, Ilya Ponomarev, told The Sun at the time: “The military objective here is to test Russia’s new defenses, but the main objective here is political.
“Doing this before the so-called ‘elections’ will inspire and mobilize Russians to our side to join our ranks.
“We will not support these fake elections as they try to legitimize Putin’s power.”
They are also fighting for Ukraine in some of the bloodiest battles taking place along their 600-mile front.
Ponomarev previously described the FRL to The Sun as a “well-established military force” that was “by far the largest resistance network inside Russia”.
Last December, The Sun spoke to Caesar, who swore that Russia was ready to explode and promised to light its fuse in 2024.
Caesar, 49, – who has become the face of armed attacks on Russia – added: “That’s why Putin is very, very afraid of us.”
He warned Russia that its “warriors” will stop at nothing to “liberate our homeland” and “save Ukraine” in the process.
“We are the first military regiment that says clearly and loudly that only a struggle by force can change power in Russia.”
The commander said they have a combined force of thousands of brave Russians behind them – those who are willing to risk their lives to secure a “better future” for Russia.
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Last night, the longest air raid siren of the war sounded over Ukraine’s second largest city, Kharkiv, as it was attacked by a barrage of missiles and drones.
Residents were urged to take cover during the longest air raid warning since the start of the war, as Vlad’s army fired rockets at civilians.
Russian forces are also heading towards the cities of Lyptsi and Vovchansk, north of Kharkiv – moves that Zelensky called “the world’s fault”.
The embattled leader was visiting injured troops in the region when he said the situation had become “very serious”.
“It’s the world’s fault. They gave Putin the opportunity to take it. But now the world can help,” he said. ABC news as he pushed for more military support.
Vitaly Ganchev, an illegally appointed Russian official in Ukraine, said Russian troops were “already on the outskirts” of Lyptsi.
There are also disturbing reports from Ukraine that Russia has been abducting and killing civilians in its battle for the border town of Vovchansk.
Minister of the Interior Igor Klymenko stated via Telegram, “Russian troops are taking civilians prisoners.”
Klymenko added: “There are reports of the first shootings against civilians by the Russian military.”
It comes as The Sun spoke to military experts who warned that the Kharkiv offensive is a ploy to drag Kiev’s forces further north as it plans to take the entire east in just a few weeks.
Professor Michael Clarke, former director of the British think tank RUSI, believes that in the coming weeks Kremlin troops will attack Donbass from the north and south, in a pincer movement to take over everything.
General Sir Richard Sherriff, former deputy supreme commander of NATO, also fears that Putin’s next ultimate objective will be the East and not the North.
He told The Sun: “The latest offensive appears to be causing real problems for the Ukrainians.
“This could allow the Russians to – if they launch an effective attack in the north, force Ukraine to lower its defenses around the southeast.” [of Donbas].
“This could allow Russia to concentrate its forces in the Donbas and break through there and encircle Ukrainian defenses while gaining significant ground.”
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
