MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Meet the Ukrainian Agents Smith: Inspired by ‘The Matrix' Russian saboteurs are being hunted down

Ukrainians are inspired by the 1999 dystopian sci-fi movie and its protagonist 'Neo' -- played by Keanu Reeves -- as they hunt Russian infiltrators

Ukrainian patriots are reportedly hunting Russian "saboteurs" in Kyiv after being inspired by the Hollywood blockbuster 'The Matrix'.

Embattled civilians are taking a page from the 1999 dystopian sci-fi movie and its protagonist 'Neo' -- played by Keanu Reeves -- as they take on the task of spotting Russian infiltrators on the war-torn streets of Kyiv. Many have taken it upon themselves to personally hunt down as many enemy agents as possible, and authorities are encouraging the public to partake in a "see something, say something" campaign -- similar to what New York's MTA started following 9/11.

RELATED ARTICLES

Semyon Kudrin: Tragic Ukrainian girl Polina's brother, 5, dies after 3 days in hospital

Russian soldier THREATENS Ukrainians with two grenades in his hands, demands surrender

“We have a lot of provocateurs in the city, and yesterday I had two of them arrested from the streets,” 55-year-old Victoria Kramarenko, a nurse and longtime volunteer medic, told the New York Post. She said she first noticed suspicious people lurking around the city a couple of months ago when a supposedly unusual gathering took place in the downtown area and she called the authorities. “Every few blocks in the downtown area, we see them, and they especially watch for movements of ambulances or areas where they see a lot of assault rifles,” she explained. “Now, there are just so many of them. They are like cockroaches spreading.”

According to Kramarenko, the saboteurs seem to identify target points before typing something into a smartphone or tablet, and "it is only a matter of time before a shelling takes place.” She told The Post how she once saw a man who was avidly typing something on his phone and so she approached him and questioned him. “Often you can tell because they have special Russian accents, showing they are from (self-declared Republics) of Donetsk or Luhansk provinces or Russian accents,” Kramarenko continued. “Many Ukrainians speak Russian, but the accents are different.”

The medic lauded the Hollywood blockbuster 'The Matrix' for preparing her to function in a world that is full of smoke and mirrors. That said, Kramarenko isn't the only one for whom life has become a feature film. One civilian soldier guarding his neighborhood told The Post that he had been binging on 'Jason Bourne' movies since January as the threat of an invasion became imminent. Another civilian activist, a computer programmer named Tatiana, said her childhood sci-fi favorite 'The Fifth Element' — starring Ukrainian-born actress Milla Jovovich — gave her the courage she needs to confront Russian foot soldiers should they arrive in her neighborhood.   

Kramarenko urged those with courtyards to take extra precautions, saying saboteurs are identifying these areas as entry points for military vehicles. “In other cities, we have seen Russian forces try to and control courtyards as a base,” she noted, adding that "the best radar is simply one’s intuition." Authorities say the suspect saboteurs usually move around in pairs.

This comes amid concerns over the safety and well-being of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, especially after it emerged last week that about 400 Russian mercenaries had entered Kyiv with the sole purpose of assassinating the popular commander-in-chief. “They (the saboteurs) are everywhere; we know that. They have been here for five or six years. But those who came here to destroy our presidents, their plans have been destroyed,” one high-ranking presidential official told The Post on the condition of anonymity, suggesting that many were from Chechnya and were imprisoned felons.

Despite the uncertainty that looms over Ukraine's future, its citizens have no plans to surrender their beloved land to the Russians. “We are using the internet, and all are making Molotov cocktails. Grannies are training and making cocktails too. We are all ready to throw them at the Russians if they come,” Kramarenko told The Post, adding, “I was able to imagine everything but strikes on residential buildings; this was not something I thought would happen in my country. War might be for men, but it is not for women and children.”