Ukraine supported Syrian opp. to undermine Russia, allies: WP
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A report by the Washington Post asserts that Ukrainian intelligence agents supplied the Syrian opposition groups with drones in an attempt to undermine Moscow and its allies.
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Syrians celebrate the arrival of opposition fighters in Damascus, Syria, on December 8, 2024. (AP)
The Washington Post reported that "the Syrian rebels who swept to power in Damascus last weekend received drones and other support from Ukrainian intelligence operatives who sought to undermine Russia and its Syrian allies," according to sources familiar with Ukrainian military activities abroad.
“Ukrainian intelligence sent about 20 experienced drone operators and about 150 first-person-view drones to the rebel headquarters in Idlib, Syria, four to five weeks ago to help Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the leading rebel group based there,” informed sources told the newspaper.
According to the newspaper, Western intelligence sources suggest that while Kiev's involvement in the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was limited, it stood out as a key component of a larger Ukrainian strategy to discreetly target Russian operations across the Middle East, Africa, and even within Russia.
It stressed that “Ukraine’s covert assistance program in Syria has been an open secret, though senior Biden administration officials said repeatedly in answer to my questions that they weren’t aware of it,” adding, “Ukraine’s motivation is obvious: Facing a Russian onslaught inside their country, Ukrainian intelligence has looked for other fronts where it can bloody Russia’s nose and undermine its clients."
The Kyiv Post, in a June 3 article, quoted a source in the Ukrainian military intelligence service, known as the GUR, who told the newspaper that “since the beginning of the year, the [Syrian] rebels, supported by Ukrainian operatives, have inflicted numerous strikes on Russian military facilities represented in the region.”
The newspaper added, "Before the HTS offensive toppled Assad, Russian officials had asserted that Ukraine’s link with the rebel group was an attempt to recruit Syrian fighters for its war against the Kremlin."
Al Mayadeen Net revealed in November that the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) terrorist group, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, is attempting to bolster its influence by engaging in regional conflicts, aiming to serve the agendas of states seeking to undermine the interests of Syria’s allies, such as Iran and Russia.
This follows revelations of coordination and cooperation between HTS and Ukrainian intelligence. New information has emerged indicating intelligence collaboration between HTS in Idlib and Ukraine to carry out operations targeting Russian sites in Syria.
According to information obtained by Al Mayadeen Net, Ukrainian intelligence has been providing HTS with weapons and financial support to prepare for these operations, which include drone strikes and isolated attacks near the frontlines in southern Idlib, northern Latakia, and northwest Hama.
