Ukrainian intel and Russian defectors cripple missile ship in daring op
During a special operation, Ukrainian military intelligence forces, along with the "Freedom of Russia" Legion, managed to inflict serious damage on the Russian missile ship "Serpukhov." They also obtained valuable information regarding the Baltic Fleet, reported Andriy Yusov, a representative of Ukrainian military intelligence.
The "Rybałka" operation was conducted by HUR in cooperation with the "Freedom of Russia" Legion and with the help of a former Russian sailor, pseudonym "Goga," who decided to side with Ukraine.
- In early April 2024, news about a malfunction on the small missile ship "Serpukhov" in Baltiysk, Kaliningrad Oblast, appeared in the information space. As a result of this malfunction, the ship was seriously damaged and had to be sent for repairs - explained Yusov.
- In reality, this "extraordinary situation" was the result of our special operation "Rybałka," which was organised and carried out by the patriots of free Russia from the "Freedom of Russia" Legion and the "I Want to Live" project. It was indeed Russian citizens who executed this daring and risky special operation, which caused significant damage both to the Russian navy and humiliatingly revealed the actual state of affairs in the Russian army - emphasised Yusov.
The ship was set on fire at the base in Baltiysk on 7 April. The Serpukhov corvette was part of the Black Sea Fleet until 2016 before joining Russia's Baltic Fleet.
"Shock and a great surprise for the enemy"
In 2023, "Goga," who is an active opponent of the Putin regime, joined the resistance forces of the Freedom of Russia Legion. - Since 2023, the Russians have been effectively cooperating (with us), providing important information, and ultimately performing the heroic act of immobilising the missile ship. This is important because few such modern ships (in Russia - ed.). These are ships with "Onyx" and "Kalibr" missiles. And of course, these are the same missiles that, unfortunately, strike Ukrainian civilian cities and infrastructure - Yusov noted.
According to Yusov, this operation demonstrated that there are no safe places for the "aggressor state", and military infrastructure and targets across the vast territory of the Russian Federation can be attacked.
- This was our first operation in the Baltic Fleet. It was a shock and a great surprise for the enemy. After this operation, there were reshuffles, investigations, and penalties in the Baltic Fleet. It's evident that some heads rolled there - Yusov conveyed.
Yusov called this operation another successful step of the "Freedom of Russia" Legion, showing that Russians in the country are ready to fight against the Putin regime.
"Goga" is now in Ukraine, ready to continue the fight against the dictator Vladimir Putin's regime. He admitted that he served in the Baltic Fleet for 11 years. In 2022, when the full-scale war broke out, he was the only soldier on his ship who opposed the war and did not hide his views.
- I tried to resign, saying I could not serve in the army. The commander was shocked when he read it. The commander immediately sent me for psychological evaluations; he thought I was some kind of madman for opposing the Russian authorities. He sent me to a psychologist, a psychiatrist, forwarded my report to the command and the prosecutor's office - to all instances to decide what to do with me next - the Russian recalled.
According to the sailor, the prosecutor's office initiated administrative proceedings against him, but he could not avoid service. In 2023, he contacted the "I Want to Live" project and began cooperation with the Ukrainian defence intelligence.
"Our task is to influence Russian society"
- The main area of our actions is the Russian information space. Our task, I might put it a bit too bluntly, is to turn Russia into a powder keg. The spark will be us - "Freedom of Russia." All rational people whose views on life do not diverge from reality understand that Putin has only been destroying Russia for 25 years. I, as a Russian, am offended on behalf of the Russian people who live in poverty and lack civil rights - said Maksymilian Andronnikov, pseudonym "Caesar," spokesperson for the "Freedom of Russia" Legion, answering a question from PAP.
- Our main direction is influencing Russian society. We will achieve all the goals we set for ourselves: the liberation of Ukraine's territory and the rebuilding of Ukraine. I always emphasise this, it is the moral duty of the peoples of Russia to restore everything they destroyed here - he stressed.
- I want to say that I made the right choice. Maybe I didn't have enough charisma; I couldn't find the right words to convey to them (the people of Russia—ed.) that this war was criminal and simply shouldn't have happened—"Goga" noted.
The Russian addressed his compatriots, calling on them to join the "Freedom of Russia" Legion to "start helping Ukraine win."
