The Yahoo News cited five former intelligence and national security officials familiar with the program as saying that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been directing a secret US training program for elite Ukrainian special forces and other intelligence officers.

The news websie added that according to authorities, the CIA has been running an intensive training program for Ukrainian paramilitaries in an unknown base in the southern United States since 2015. As per a former senior intelligence officer, it was started by the Obama administration, enlarged by the Trump administration, and supplemented by the Biden administration.

The US government has stated that the program is not offensive in nature and that the goal of the training is to aid in information gathering.

Meanwhile, a former senior intelligence officer told Yahoo News that the program includes "very specific training on skills" that will help Ukraine's "ability to push back against the Russians." According to Yahoo News, another former CIA source acquainted with the program said that the US is training an insurgency and has trained the Ukrainians how to "to kill Russians."

Tensions in the region have risen in recent weeks as a result of an alleged Russian troop buildup near the Ukrainian border and claims of invasion preparations. Moscow has vehemently refuted the allegations, citing NATO military activity near its borders as a threat to Russian national security. Russia has also stated that it has the authority to move forces within its borders.

The West sending militants to Ukraine guised as 'instructors': Zakharova

On December 12, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova revealed that Western nations are transferring militants to Ukraine, guised as instructors. 

"Ukraine is being pumped with armament, meaning, direct supplies, future contracts, and, as you see, these are multi-million, billion contracts as a whole. It is about dispatching there militants disguised as instructors," Zakharova told Russia's Krym 24 broadcaster. 

Russian MoD: the US Setting Up Multinational Forces Close to Russian Border

On November 9, Russia's Defense Ministry reported that the US is setting up a multinational group of armed forces close to the Russian border.

"These are unscheduled moves by the US military that is setting up a multinational group of armed forces in close proximity to the Russian border," the Defense Ministry stressed.

The US Navy's guided-missile destroyer USS Porter, tanker USS John Lenthall, and a command ship, the USS Mount Whitney, are deployed in the Black Sea. Two US Air Force long strategic bombers also performed patrols over the Black Sea at a distance of 100 km from the Russian border.