About a month ago, Ukraine sent 150 drones and 20 drone operators to Idlib in Syria to support the Islamist HTS militia, classified as a terrorist organization by, among others, the USA and the UN, reports The Washington Post. Ukrainian Kyiv Post also has sources stating that Ukraine's intelligence service has supported the rebels over the past year.
The information has not been confirmed by Ukraine, which instead has rejected Russian claims that Ukrainian personnel were present in Idlib.
Ekot has spoken with one of the rebels, who fought with the Free Syrian Army until Bashar al-Assad was overthrown. He confirms that the rebels received support from Ukraine.
We have collaborated with Ukrainian special forces, since we have a common enemy, Russia, says Suheil Hammoud to Ekot.
Ukrainian specialists have digitally, and with the help of interpreters, trained the rebels in how to maneuver military drones, according to Hammoud.
Ukraine has greatly benefited from drones, and so have we.
That Ukraine's assistance played a decisive role in the sudden rebel offensive, where HTS was leading, is something few analysts believe. However, it can be seen as part of Ukraine's strategy to allocate resources against Russian interests outside of Ukraine.
Last summer, around 80 Russian Wagner soldiers were killed in Mali. Ukraine's intelligence service later stated that they had provided intelligence to make the attack possible.
