On August 20, a Russian mujahideen group "Muwahhidun ar-Rusi" sent a letter to Kavkaz Center accepting responsibility for distrupting the operation of the Russia's largest Sayano-Shushenskaya hydroelectric plant in southern Siberia on Monday. The group pledged allegiance to Dokka Abu Usman, Emir of Mujahideen of Caucasus.
The group consisting of Rissian Muslims said it had sent a Mujahid named Ibrahim to work at the power plant. After working there for some months, Ibrahim detected some weak points in the technical safety system in the power plant's turbine room and caused the fooding of the room. Ibrahim martyred in the operation.
Three of the plant's 10 turbines were reportedly destroyed and three others damaged.
No explosives were used for the sabotage, the group said. All gear and equipment for the operation was brought to the turbine room under pretext of conducting repair works. The group would not disclose technical details so that this procedure could be used in the future for damaging and destroying other Russian power plants.
It would cost Russia at least $ 1.2 billion to rebuild the turbine room. Repairs are estimated to take from two to five years. In the meantime the plant would produce no electric power for Russian industry.
The Muwahhidun ar-Rusi said they would continue their sabotage operations against ithe Russian industrial targets.
Kavkaz Center