US attracts IS mercenaries to fight in Ukraine: Russia's SVR
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The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accuses the US of actively recruiting around 60 Islamic State members it has released from prisons to participate in hostilities in Ukraine as mercenaries.
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Russia's SVR said mercenaries banned in the Russian Federation were being recruited to participate in hostilities in Ukraine.
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) reported on Tuesday that the United States is actively recruiting Islamic State members to participate in hostilities in Ukraine as mercenaries.
"According to information received by the Foreign Intelligence Service, the United States is actively recruiting even members of international terrorist organizations as mercenaries to participate in hostilities in Ukraine, including the Islamic State (IS) group, banned in the Russian Federation," it said, adding that the military forces target sabotage against the Russian Armed Forces in Ukraine.
The statement added that "in April, with the participation of US intelligence services, about 60 IS fighters aged 20 to 25 were released from prisons controlled by Syrian Kurds are undergoing combat training for the purpose of subsequent transfer to Ukrainian territory."
The SVR also said the US Al-Tanf base in Syria has been transformed into a terrorist "hub", where US loyal militants were trained for transfer to Ukraine.
"According to the SVR, the specified military base and its environs have long turned into a kind of terrorist 'hub,' where up to 500 IS members loyal to Washington and other jihadists are being 'retrained' at the same time. Priority is given to natives of the states of Transcaucasia and Central Asia. The training 'course' in At-Tanf includes training in the use of available types of anti-tank missile systems, reconnaissance and strike drones MQ-1C, advanced communications and surveillance equipment," the statement said.
