Ukraine's Defence Intelligence reveals names of 141 Syrian mercenaries recruited by Russia

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) has released lists of some of the Syrian mercenaries recruited by Russia for the war against Ukraine.

Source: DIU on its website and social media

Details: DIU reported on 7 February that Russia was recruiting mercenaries in Syria via travel agencies to take part in hostilities against Ukraine.

Intelligence reported that mercenaries are being trained on Syrian territory near the city of Aleppo and at the Kuweires airbase. The first group of about 1,000 mercenaries is undergoing training with a focus on urban warfare. Upon completion of the training, the Syrian mercenaries will be transported to Khmeimim airbase and then to Russian territory.

After arriving in Russia, Syrians are issued Russian passports in a matter of days and then drafted into the occupying army, the DIU stated.

Ukraine's Defence Intelligence released lists of 141 Syrian mercenaries recruited by Russia for the war against Ukraine on 14 February. The information is in Arabic.

Background: 

• In March 2022, it was reported that Russia was recruiting military personnel in Syria for the war in Ukraine, and in March 2023, it was reported that it was recruiting Syrians and Palestinians.
• On 1 February 2024, the media reported that Russia was tricking Syrians who didn’t even speak Russian into signing contracts with the Russian Defence Ministry, providing them with Russian passports in return, including some that are registered in Yakutia in Russia’s Far East.
• On 12 February, Defence Intelligence of Ukraine reported that Russian operators of Iranian-made UAVs were being trained at Syrian Shayrat airfield and that they were being trained by the Lebanese Hezbollah Police and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

Support UP or become our patron!