A month before the invasion, in January, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry organized popular resistance forces in the event of a Russian attack.[4][5][6]
It was reported that in early June, with the assistance of NSU partisans, a group of Russian special forces of the Akhmat unit disappeared.[7][8][9]
In mid-June, postcards-warnings were left in Kherson from the NSU with the content: "Russian, we will turn you into minced meat"; "Occupier, below are your friends. You're next"; "Russian soldier, your brothers are already waiting for you. Get ready to die. Kherson is Ukraine"; "Russian occupier, surrender or die a painful death. The popular resistance of Ukraine is already watching you. Look around."[10][11][12]