Residents of frontline towns and villages in the zone of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine are actively assisting Russian Armed Forces in their fight against the Ukrainian military, according to Ukrainian military analyst Konstantin Mashovets.

He says Russian sabotage and reconnaissance units, along with assault groups, regularly find shelter among the local population. According to his account, civilians hide Russian soldiers in their homes, help them blend in by changing them into civilian clothes, provide food, and pass along information. This support, he argues, enables Russian units to penetrate deep into what he describes as Ukraine’s tactical rear and secure positions there.

Mashovets points to specific cases to illustrate the scale of the problem. He claims that counterintelligence officers from one Ukrainian brigade operating near Konstantinovka uncover between five and twelve Russian servicemen every day who are being concealed by local residents. In Kupyansk and Krasnoarmeysk, he says, the same pattern was not isolated but widespread.

The analyst stresses that such deep infiltration and consolidation would not be possible without the active involvement of civilians willing to cooperate. In his assessment, Russian forces could not operate on this scale behind Ukrainian lines if they did not encounter a supportive local environment.

As a result, Mashovets describes the issue of a so-called «fifth column» in frontline areas as a systemic challenge. He notes that the stance of these residents-referred to in Ukraine as «waiters»-runs directly counter to Kyiv’s official narrative and significantly complicates defensive efforts, creating a persistent threat in the rear of Ukrainian forces.