Exclusive interview with a Chief of Ukrainian SOF Resistance Movement on how civilians are trained and supported under occupation, why resistance continues despite the risks, and why Ukraine will keep fighting until its territories and people are liberated.
Resistance under Russian-occupation is beyond dangerous — even the smallest sign of supporting Ukraine can result in imprisonment, torture, and even death.
The list of documented war crimes against Ukrainians in Russian-occupied territories is near-endless. Men are forcibly mobilized into Russia’s army and forced to face the guns of their fellow countrymen. Sexual violence against women is used by Russian soldiers as a weapon of war. Children are either abducted or forced into military camps and indoctrinated to fight against Ukraine in the future.
And yet Ukrainians in Russian-occupied territories continue to choose to risk everything in the name of defiance. And one of the options open to them is to join a resistance movement run by Ukraine’s Special Operations Forces (SOF).
In an interview with the Kyiv Independent, a commander of SOF’s resistance movement shared insights into how it operates under Russian occupation.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. The identity of the commander has not been disclosed for security reasons.
The Kyiv Independent: What exactly is the SOF resistance movement and when and why did it appear?
Commander: In general, the resistance in Ukraine appeared a long time ago, ever since Ukrainians have started to fight for their independence, especially against Russia. The SOF resistance movement appeared in Ukraine in 2016, when the SOF was created.
Its purpose was to involve as much of the civilian population as possible in the fight against Russia, and especially that part of the population that, for different reasons, remains in the occupied territories.
