Zaporozhye's mystery: Russian officers disappear from occupied territories

In the Zaporozhye region where Russia is at battle with Ukraine's armed forces, several Russian officers have gone missing. Surprisingly, they are not reported to have died on the battlefield; they disappear from territories Russia controls. In a peculiar incident, a number of officers arranged a hard-drinking weekend in an abandoned house, only to vanish without the slightest trace.

From February 2022, the very initial days of the full-scale invasion, Russia has maintained its occupation of Eastern Ukraine. Consequently, Vladimir Putin's troops were successful in capturing the area and somewhat establishing themselves in the occupied territories. However, the local population has not simply been waiting passively under Moscow's rule.

Ukrainians have taken their fight underground against the invaders. They have resorted to tactics such as poisoning food and drinks, attacking military convoys, and carrying out sabotage operations to eliminate collaborators. Furthermore, they're gathering intelligence information about enemy movements. Recently, they have begun hunting Russian officers, as evidenced by the Zaporozhye disappearances.

The Russian Federation is presently at a loss to explain the disappearance of several high-ranking officers.

In the Zaporozhye region, a group of Russian officers had planned to unwind. They took control of an abandoned house in the woods and hosted an uninhibited party. However, they disappeared without a trace afterward. The local populace promptly notified Ukrainian forces, who took immediate action. The whereabouts of the Russian officers remain unknown and baffling.

The officers could have died or may have been imprisoned, leaving their fate in the hands of the Ukrainians.

Ukrainian intelligence, working round the clock in territories controlled by Russia, has proven to be extremely effective. Hence, the occupying forces cannot afford to feel safe and must remain vigilant at all times. The incident involving the group of officers stands as a stark reminder of the grave mistakes that can arise from complacency.

Russians had anticipated a warm welcome, expecting to be seen as "liberators" by the local population. However, since the onset of the war, the Ukrainians have put up a staunch fight while intensely anticipating their liberation.

General Kyrylo Budanov, head of the HUR and the person in charge of special operations on the Ukrainian side, along with his team, have planned a plethora of surprises for the occupiers. Attacks on collaborators, poisoned food, and pitfalls constitute just the tip of the iceberg. The Ukrainians have deeply penetrated the areas that are rightfully theirs.