Syrian rebels, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), reportedly received covert drone support and operational assistance from Ukrainian intelligence operatives just weeks before their swift offensive ousted long-standing President Bashar al-Assad.
According to The Washington Post, citing unnamed sources familiar with Ukrainian military operations, Ukrainian intelligence sent approximately 150 first-person-view drones and deployed 20 drone operators to support HTS forces. This covert assistance was allegedly provided four to five weeks prior to the rebels’ advance on Damascus, a campaign that concluded last weekend with Assad’s removal after 24 years in power.
Additional evidence supporting Ukraine’s covert involvement has surfaced in recent months. In June, Ukrainian military intelligence operatives were reportedly instrumental in coordinating strikes on Russian military facilities in Syria.
Similarly, earlier this year, videos purportedly showed Ukrainian special forces engaging Russian mercenaries alongside Syrian rebels.
Russia has acknowledged Ukraine’s activities in Syria, with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accusing Ukrainian operatives in Idlib of conducting “dirty operations” and arming rebel groups. Last month, Alexander Lavrentyev, Russia’s special envoy to Syria, echoed similar claims, stating that Ukrainian intelligence was supplying “terrorists” in Idlib.
Ukraine’s intelligence services have not issued an official response regarding the allegations but the reported Ukrainian involvement aligns with Kyiv’s broader strategy to undermine Russia’s influence globally, particularly in regions where Russian military interests are entrenched.
Since intervening in the Syrian conflict in 2015, Russia has maintained a critical presence through its Hmeimim air base and Tartus naval base, key facilities used to project Russian power in the Mediterranean and beyond. According to a CNN report, citing two U.S. officials and a Western official, Russia has started pulling a significant number of military personnel and equipment out of Syria following the removal of Assad.
VIDEO: Russian troops seen abandoning their Tartous naval base to the jeers of French-speaking Al Qaeda terrorists. The Russian fleet has now reportedly left the port and is at anchor offshore. pic.twitter.com/FWv3DDW3jO #Syria #AlQaeda #Russia #Biden #Starmer #macron #Latakia
— Manchester Chronicle 🐝 (@WithyGrove) December 11, 2024
Satellite imagery revealed that Russian naval vessels stationed at the Tartus naval base on Syria’s Mediterranean coast have also vacated the facility.
BREAKING: Satellite imagery confirms the Russian Navy has abandoned Tartus pic.twitter.com/ls8CEcTxEf
— William “Balloon Guy” Kim (@TheKimulation) December 7, 2024
