Russian Officers Suffer Devastating 'Revenge' Attack in Occupied City by 'Local Resistance,' Ukraine Claims

Ukraine intelligence officials say resistance groups in one city staged an “act of revenge” with a deadly explosion.

Knewz.com reported at least three Russian National Guard officials reportedly died during a meeting in Melitopol on Nov. 11.

Russia’s army captured Melitopol shortly after beginning its “special military operation” inside Ukraine in February 2022. At the time, the city had about 150,000 residents.

A statement on Telegram by the intelligence branch of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said the explosion was “carried out by representatives of the local resistance movement.”

"As a result of the explosion at least three National Guard officers were killed at the headquarters," the statement said. "Information of other enemy losses is being clarified."

The Ukrainian intelligence statement said the meeting was attended by Russian National Guard and FSB intelligence service officers, according to a report by Reuters, but the statement did not explain how the explosion occurred. The Russian Defense Ministry has yet to comment.

Ukraine hoped to regain Melitopol during its summer counter-offensive. That way, the military would have a route to the Crimean Peninsula which Russia has controlled for nine years.

The Ukrainian version of Pravda noted similar attacks by resistance fighters have occurred in recent days.

One went after a former leader in the Russian-controlled Luhansk region. Three other raids occurred inside Russia.

The evicted mayor of Melitopol wonders why Russian officers still make it a headquarters base.

“The enemy does not learn anything,” Ivan Federov said.

Russia may have targeted Melitopol because the museum there had a collection had a collection of almost 200 ancient gold items.

CBS News’ 60 Minutes reports museum employees tried to hide the gold in cardboard boxes in a basement. An initial search of the museum by Russian forces failed to find it.

So eight soldiers kidnapped museum director Leila Ibrahimova from her home.

“They turned my house upside down, then they put a bag on my head and put me in a car,” she said.

Ibrahimova refused to answer questions from the Russians about what the museum held. She’s now fled Ukraine because she appeared on a list of people to be executed.

The Russians reportedly now have the gold artifacts. But taking “spoils of war” is considered a war crime to some.

“The Russians keep saying they're evacuating these artifacts to safeguard them during the fighting,” Ukrainian criminal attorney Vitaliy Tytych said. “That is a lie and we are ready to prove it.”

In other military action, Britain’s Guardian reported Russian shells killed at least three people and injured six others in Kherson, a southern Ukrainian city.

Never miss a story — sign up for the Front Page Detectives newsletter. Be on the scene the moment news breaks.

Russian fighters used to occupy Kherson, but left the area in late 2022.

The local governor claimed someone shot at a car in a Kherson suburb. One person died, while a two-month-old baby was wounded.