Tip offered with love: Duck Duck Go is a tool used by sincerely curious people seeking answers to their questions. Relying on anonymous strangers to provide "answers" instead of putting in the minimal effort needed to personally do it is unnecessary and risky, especially in the midst of a survival war with Cult Death that includes 24/7 disinfo attacks. 😎

You are correct. If the structure is complete and the 5th column is removed, then the structure will eventually collapse. The 5th column provides the structure rigidity. I'm ready for this whole thing to collapse on the Cabal myself. In regards to context of the intended meaning, Awokcanuck has it right.

I live in a country which was occupied by Russia during Soviet era. They immigrated here tons of people from all over the Russia and satellites, and after the end of occupation, those immigrants remained. Civilians, you say. However, ca 90% of them still speak only Russian, take in only Russia's propaganda and are acting just the way Russia's media tells them to think and act. Keep their kids in the same information space.

They are the 5th column. Ready to support new invasion and act as enemy's combatants.

I don't think the 5th column part was related to what OP was trying to say, but it's in reference to "any group of people who undermine a larger group from within, usually in favor of an enemy group or nation", so a reference to the deepstate.

A fifth column is a "traitor" basically.