Statement of the Anarchist Black Cross Moscow on Ruslan Sidiki

From avtonom

Anarchist Ruslan Sidiki, who was sentenced to 29 years in prison over two sabotage actions against the Russian war machine, openly stated that he contacted Ukrainian military intelligence in order to organize an attack on the Russian air base in Dyagilevo, where strategic bombers are stationed. In published letters he explained his motive:

“The roar of the Tu-22 and Tu-95 outside the window coincided with strikes on Ukraine, and that determined my choice of target — the military airfield in Dyagilevo, only 10 kilometers from home. I lived with an 80-year-old grandmother and understood how hard it is for the elderly and the sick without heat and light in winter. While filling the bathtub with hot water, I thought of those who, thousands of kilometers away, had been deprived of basic necessities because of geopolitical ambitions.”

At the comrades’ request he described in more detail how he interacted with Ukrainian intelligence:

“I came up with the idea to destroy the aircraft at Dyagilevo, and I wrote to a comrade in Ukraine whom I have known since 2013. I told him that I had such a target <...>. I asked him to connect me with some programmer, because I needed advice to carry out my plan. I explained to him that I have a homemade heavy quadcopter capable of lifting and flying comfortably with three kilos. I plan to do it like this: I attach a homemade gliding bomb. The flight plan should be programmed. Before that I identify the target from the air and calculate the coordinates, which I enter into the mission. I raise the bomb to an altitude of about a kilometer, approach the airport and drop it at a distance of a couple of kilometers from the target. Then the bomb flies to the target, and the quadcopter flies back to me, and I leave the area. I needed help with the software code <...>. Because it would have taken much longer to do it myself. I also asked if it was possible to download the firmware from the munition for a ‘Bayraktar’ or if there are similar developments capable of executing my plan. Knowing that my comrade might have military contacts, I put such requests to him.”

A month later the comrade put Ruslan in contact with “Alexander,” who turned out to be military. He offered to help purchase components to assemble several kamikaze drones, because he considered Ruslan’s initial plan insufficiently safe. Ruslan agreed, because he himself worked as an electrician for 27,000 rubles (circa 300 euros) a month and could not afford such a purchase.

The drone operation was only partially successful: of four drones programmed with delayed flight missions, only one took off (the other three were presumably overturned by a fox) — it damaged the runway but did not damage aircraft.

After that Ruslan decided to act from the ground — to blow up railway tracks used by the military. In that operation Ukrainian intelligence helped him by conducting a remote test based on Ruslan’s specifications for blowing the rail, so a partisan could more accurately calculate the necessary explosive charge. The rail sabotage succeeded — Ruslan waited for a freight train and remotely triggered the explosive device. Nineteen freight cars derailed and the line was blocked for a long time.

Ruslan emphasizes that he implemented his own plan and that Ukrainian intelligence assisted him in carrying out the plot. The partisan notes:
“I did not and do not see any contradiction in cooperating with such people, because our goals coincided — opposing Russian aggression. If I had known people in Russia, including within the anarchist movement, who had similar goals, then perhaps I would have been among their ranks.”

We do not call for or encourage cooperation with Ukrainian intelligence and special services, even against Russian aggression. The fact is that they pursue strictly their own interests, and they are indifferent to the fate of those they cooperate with. Many people were caught after actions proposed by Ukrainian intelligence or special services, but the Ukrainian side provided them no support after detention. Any information about Russian anarchists can be used by them against the international anarchist movement and can also be passed to the special services of other countries, including Russian ones — already after the war. The Anarchist Black Cross — Moscow never cooperates with any special services or intelligence agencies.

On the other hand, due to the circumstances of an imperialist war, we do not condemn cooperation with Ukrainian intelligence and special services against Russian aggression. Ruslan Sidiki acted independently, at his own risk, those risks materialized and he paid the highest price for his actions.

We consider him a hero of the anarchist movement.

Anarchist Black Cross of Moscow
 

You can find the contact addresses of all prisoners in Russia supported by Anarchist Black Cross Moscow here (and instructions how to donate here). If you want to make a donation to a particular prisoner or case, please contact us beforehand via e-mail to make sure that the supporters of the prisoner or case are currently gathering donations, our e-mail is the same as the listed PayPal account. We are present and acn Telegram and Facebook, you may sign up to our e-mail newsletter here

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