Russian authorities are reportedly planning to transfer control of occupied Mariupol to Chechen "Akhmat" units in exchange for the loyalty of Chechnya's leadership. The pro-Ukrainian partisan group Atesh says that additional Chechen forces are already being brought into the city to fully monopolize their influence over local resources.
Mariupol was occupied in 2022 after large-scale attacks on civilians. During the siege, Russian aircraft dropped a bomb on the Drama Theater, where civilians were sheltering. Estimates suggest 300–600 civilians were killed in that attack alone. The total death toll in the city remains uncertain, but some sources place it above 60,000.
“Owners without license plates”: Akhmat consolidates control over city resources
“ATESH agents in occupied Mariupol have received credible information that Moscow plans to transfer the city and the surrounding region under full control of Chechen units,” the group reports.
Partisan sources indicate that the Chechens’ primary interest lies in Mariupol’s industrial capabilities, even though much of it has been destroyed.
Residents increasingly report seeing Caucasian soldiers wearing "Akhmat" insignia driving expensive SUVs without license plates or with forged registrations.
The Atesh notes that this brazen behavior reflects their confidence in impunity and their status as the new "owners" of the city.
“We closely monitor the locations of these ‘businessmen’ in uniform and track the routes of their elite vehicles,” the partisan movement emphasizes.
ATESH partisans conduct sabotage and intelligence operations inside Russia. The group targets military logistics, equipment, and troop movements, aiming to disrupt Russian supply chains and slow operations on the frontlines.
