Leaked Documents Revealed Ukraine’s Plans to Attack Russian Forces in Syria

According to the controversial Pentagon leaks, Ukraine’s military intelligence agency believed it could launch attacks on Russian troops and Wagner Group units in Syria. Such a move would likely compel Russia to shift away some of its military assets from Ukraine, as Kyle Anzalone of Antiwar.com noted

Ukraine defense officials were of the belief that Kurdish military forces could be used to fight a proxy war against Russia in Syria. Per the Washington Post, the plan never came into fruition as President Volodymyr Zelensky put a stop to the plan in December 2022.

At a glance, Ukrainian officials were in several talks with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish militia that the US has supported. Per the documents, Kurdish officials called for receiving training on drones and air defenses. On top of that, the Kurds said they would not attack Russian positions in areas the SDF controlled, and demanded that their role in the operations be kept under wraps. 

Ukrainian authorities refused  to reply to questions concerning the document. A Kurdish official asserted that the information was false.

Russia has had a military presence in Syria since 2015. The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad requested military assistance from Russia.The Assad government was largely threatened by rebel forces that large elements al-Qaeda and ISIS actors among, both of which threatened to topple the Assad regime. The Russian military units helped Syrian forces push back the advance of the jihadist organizations.

The document said Zelensky could allow the operations to go as planned, but would likely require support from the US and Turkey. Turkey may be unwilling to aid the covert proxy warfare as it views the SDF as a terrorist entity, and has long criticized the US’s moves to arm the Syrian Kurds.

The Syrian Civil War has witnessed a significant decline in violence in recent years as Assad and his allies have regained control over most of Syria. The US and SDF have control over the eastern third of the country. Though as Anzalone has observed, the SDF’s leadership has demonstrated a willingness to cooperate with Russia. If Kurdish forces willingly become a proxy force for Ukraine, Russia could potentially launch attacks against SDF positions in eastern Syria.

All told, this is just another ploy by the US Deep State to cause more geopolitical tensions abroad. If we want stability abroad, there needs to be a total shakeup of the foreign policy decision-making class.

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