Ukraine’s spy agency says IRGC trains Russian troops in Syria on drones
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Ukrainian military intelligence said on Monday that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Copse (IRGC) and Lebanese Hezbollah are training Russian service members in Syria on operating drones.
The training, which is taking place in the Shayrat Airbase in Syria’s Homs Governorate, teaches Russian troops how to operate the Iranian drones of Shahed-136 and Ababil-3, in addition to the Raad remote-controlled aircraft, according to a statement published by the agency.
The training is being supervised by a Hezbollah commander known as Kamal Abu Sadiq, who is a specialist in drone manufacturing and maintenance, added the statement.
In addition to Russian troops, the military intelligence said, Syrian “mercenaries” are also receiving the drone training to fight alongside Russia in Ukraine.
On Feb. 9, the military intelligence said on Telegram that Russia was enlisting up to 1,000 “mercenaries” in Syria, specifically training them in urban fighting techniques and tactics.
Upon completion of the training, the Feb. 9 statement read, the fighters are expected to head to the Khmeimim Airbase in Latakia, western Syria, to later be transported into Russia, the statement noted.
Subsequently, those Syrian “mercenaries” will receive Russian citizenship and be deployed into Ukraine, the statement claimed.