Partisan surveillance triggers Russian military panic in occupied Crimea
The partisan group Atesh, which monitors the movements of Russians in the occupied Crimea, claims that the invaders have panicked and are feverishly searching for new places to store ammunition and equipment. What weapons are the Russians transferring?
“The command of the occupiers is making a mistake again by moving such facilities and thinking that we will not be tracking their movement routes,” was written in a short statement published on the Telegram service.
Partisans detect Russian movements in Crimea
Besides ammunition transports, agents from the Atesh group managed to detect the transfer of artillery systems. The statement's attached photos reveal, among others, the BM‑27 Uragan.
The BM-27 Uragan is a rocket artillery system that the Russians began producing in 1975. Its main component is a 16-barrel launcher mounted on the chassis of a ZIL-135LM truck. This solution makes it a mobile weapon, allowing the crew to move at speeds of up to 64 km/h (~40 mph). The vehicle's maximum range is estimated at around 500 km (~310 miles).
In terms of design, the BM-27 Uragan is similar to the BM-21 Grad, which is also used in Ukraine. However, it uses larger 220 mm caliber projectiles with significant destructive power. They can be equipped with fragmentation or cluster warheads. The reach of targets using the BM-27 Uragan is about 35 km (~22 miles).
Agents from the Atesh group and observers of the war in Ukraine believe that the described actions of the Russians prove their panic resulting from recent losses. This includes a massive attack on the ships of the Black Sea Fleet, during which the Ukrainians used, among others, Storm Shadow cruise missiles. As a result, they managed to eliminate two more landing ships from further participation in the war.
The losses related to the ships are currently one of the biggest challenges for the Russians. In addition, they are feeling the impact of Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries. Consequently, a decision was made to secure such facilities with the Pantsir-S1 air defense systems. However, British intelligence opines that the Russians will not be able to achieve the intended goal.
