Ukraine helped Syrian rebels humiliate Russia: opinion

Ukraine helped Syria's rebels who toppled the Assad regime last weekend, according to an opinion piece published by The Washington Post.

Two armed men keep watch over a road in the Syrian capital Damascus following the ouster of the Assad regime.

Photo: EPA/HASAN BELAL

Ukraine's intelligence service HUR sent around 20 experienced drone operators and 150 first-person-view drones to the rebel headquarters in northwestern Syria about a month ago, the newspaper's foreign affairs columnist David Ignatius wrote on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with Ukrainian military activities abroad.

The Syrian rebel coalition that ousted Bashar al-Assad, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), said Wednesday that it had further consolidated control over the country’s east as it seeks to build a new political order in the country. https://t.co/o73l7Gy6ko

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 11, 2024

Western intelligence sources assess the drones played a modest role in the offensive but demonstrated Ukraine's ability to challenge Russia beyond Kyiv's resistance to Moscow's invasion, Ignatius said in his column.

Ukraine Sent Aid to Syrian Rebels Shortly Before Their Offensive — The Washington Post

According to WP, in early November, Ukrainian intelligence sent 20 skilled drone operators and approximately 150 FPV drones to Idlib to support the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

WP… pic.twitter.com/0f6I36Eqlf

— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) December 11, 2024

Russia’s military bases in Syria were a major asset for Moscow before the Assad regime’s stunning collapse over the weekend. Now, they could be a major liability. https://t.co/xjGa6ezely

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 9, 2024

Syrian rebels claimed a historic victory on Sunday after storming the capital Damascus and toppling the long-standing authoritarian rule of President Bashar al-Assad, according to media reports.

The sudden rebel offensive leading to the collapse of Assad’s government and military forces has left governments around the world scrambling to figure out what to do about it, none more so than the Biden administration. https://t.co/z7qz6pWoGZ

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 10, 2024

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has said that "the events in Syria have made the world realise once again ... that even the most cruel regime may fall and that Russia and its allies can be defeated."

The events in Syria have made the world realise once again, or at least they should, that even the most cruel regime may fall and that Russia and its allies can be defeated.

— Donald Tusk (@donaldtusk) December 8, 2024

(gs)

Source: IAR, PAP, washingtonpost.com