Additional Coverage:
- Ukraine supplied Syrian rebels with drones and operators for the offensive that toppled Assad last week: report (newsbreak.com)
Syrian rebel groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham recently overthrew President Bashar Assad’s regime. Reports indicate that Ukraine played a supporting role in this victory.
According to The Washington Post, Ukraine supplied around 150 drones and 20 operators to the rebels. This assistance, though modest, played a part in weakening Assad’s forces.
Ukraine’s support aligns with its strategy to counter Russia and its allies in the region. Reports have surfaced of Ukrainian special forces operating in Sudan and Syria against Russian mercenaries and Assad’s troops.
Russia has expressed concern over Ukraine’s involvement, claiming that it has recruited rebel fighters and armed them.
Experts have questioned the wisdom of Ukraine’s overseas operations, given its ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. However, the success of the Syrian rebels could impact Russia’s military presence in the region and threaten its control over key bases.