Syrian fighters join Russia's war in Ukraine, US officials say
March 7, 2022, 9:48 am

Syrian fighters join Russia's war in Ukraine, US officials say

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R). (File photo Reuters)

The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing US officials, Russia is recruiting Syrian fighters experienced in urban combat as it ramps up its assault on Ukraine.

Four US officials told the US daily newspaper that Moscow, which launched an invasion against its eastern European neighbor on February 24, has in recent days recruited fighters from Syria to help take control of Kyiv.

One official told the newspaper, some fighters are already in Russia and ready to join the fight against Ukraine, though it was not immediately clear how many fighters had been recruited. The sources did not provide any further details.

Foreign fighters have already joined the Ukrainian conflict on both sides.

Chechnya's powerful leader Ramzan Kadyrov, a Putin ally, shared videos of Chechen fighters joining the war on Ukraine and said some of them had been killed in the fighting.

It is more and more difficult to confirm the exact number of civilians killed and wounded in this barbaric war. The military losses are also difficult to assess. But, Putin’s savage bombing of civilian structures – schools, hospitals, residential districts, private homes – proves that these horrific actions are WAR CRIMES (File photo and text: Euromaidan Press)

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba claimed that about 20,000 foreign volunteers arrived in the country to join Kyiv's forces.

UAE sends 30 tonnes of emergency medical aid for displaced Ukrainians and refugees

As Russian invasion enters its 12th day, more than 1.5 million civilians have fled the country in what the United Nations has called the fastest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II.

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UAE sends 30 tonnes of emergency medical aid for displaced Ukrainians and refugees The unconditional response to Russian demands .. Russia's condition to stop the invasion

Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.