Kiev’s military intelligence agency believed it could carry out attacks on Russian soldiers and Wagner Group forces in Syria, forcing Moscow to redeploy military assets from Ukraine. The story was reported by the Washington Post using documents released by Jack Teixeira.
The Ukrainian defense officials believed they could use Kurdish forces to wage a proxy war against Russia in Syria. According to the Post, the plan never materialized as President Volodymyr Zelensky ordered an end to the planning in December.
It appears that Ukrainian officials engaged in some discussions with the Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish militia backed by the US. The documents said the Kurdish officials requested training on drones and air defenses. Additionally, the Kurds said they would not attack Russian positions in areas held by the SDF, and requested their role in the operations be kept secret.
Ukraine declined to respond to questions about the document. A Kurdish official claimed the information was false.
Russian forces have been in Syria since 2015. President Vladimir Putin ordered his soldiers to aid the Syrian government led by Bashar al-Assad. At the time of Russian intervention, both al-Qaeda in Syria and ISIS were threatening to topple Damascus. The Russian soldiers helped Syrian forces turn back the advance of the jihadist groups.
While Moscow continues military operations in Syria, the Kremlin is attempting to end the conflict through diplomatic means. Putin is attempting to broker a deal to normalize relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has been a primary backer of the anti-Assad militants in Syria and has received pressure from Washington to continue to isolate Damascus.
The document says Zelensky could allow the operations to proceed, but would likely require assistance from the US and Turkey. Ankara may be unwilling to support the covert proxy warfare as it views the SDF as a terrorist organization, and has long protested Washington arming the Syrian Kurds.
Additionally, the operations could inflame the war in Syria. The decade-long war has seen a dip in violence in recent years as Assad and his allies have consolidated control over most of Syria. The US and SDF occupy the eastern third of the country. However, the SDF leadership has shown a willingness to work with Moscow. If Kurdish forces allow themselves to become a proxy force for Kiev, Moscow will likely aggressively target SDF positions in eastern Syria.
Kyle Anzalone is the opinion editor of Antiwar.com, news editor of the Libertarian Institute, and co-host of Conflicts of Interest.
Ukraine considering expanding the conflict. Isn’t that why antiwar supporters are saying its dangerous.
A fantasy. Not that anything is beyond the imagination of an actor. Yes, it would have been nice — except. Kurds, even SDF wholy owned by Washington are not going to fight Russia. Russia is what stands between Kurdish areas and Turkey. Kurds all signed up to a deal that obligates them not to attack Syrian, Russian or Turkey controlled areas. Even though SDF is US controlled outfit, they would not want to violate what Kurd civilian keaders signed.
This is why every time SDF attacks Syrian rebellion within US controlled areas — it is always declared fight against ISIS. Syrian population within US controlled areas is routinely abused under the banner of fighting mythical ISIS.
So Country 404 wants to export its war to other countries, but get the US and NATO to do the heavy lifting. Isn’t that nice of them?
Such attacks can’t be organized without American permission and American participation. It is as trustworthy as Ukrainian terrorist attack against Nord Stream pipeline.
Zelensky’s people are really stupid. It’s like watching a bunch of high school hoods.
The situation is a bit of a sticky wicket… The US on one side and the Russians on the other?….
One must wonder if there are mercenaries in the form of Kurds fighting in Ukraine?
Middle East countries are kind of known for having foreign fighters in their various squabbles so it would not be hard reach to decide not to fight the Russians in Sryria to keep one’s neighborhood quiet but decide to head off to Ukraine to screw with them there.
After all I’m sure those in the CIA operation to expand the war to Syria would be just as happy to have their Kurds fight in Ukraine. Nicer country anyway to be fighting in for
the people from DC like Vicky.
The WaPo once again shares they have reviewed over 200 documents yet there are said to be only around 40 out there.
Someone has fed them a lot more documents then the leaker (patsy?) supposedly shared with his gamer buddies and must want something shared.
Who knows if it will be true? Or what will be true and what will be lies slipped in to evert our eyes?
There’s really no hope if Antiwar.com is repeating things like “Zelensky would allow operations to proceed,” or “Kiev’s military intelligence agency believed,” or “Kiev hoped to use Kurdish forces,” or its headline, “Ukraine planned attacks,” without qualification, in each case attributing powers to “Ukraine” that don’t exist. Ukraine has been a US colony for 30+ years, exists only thanks to billions from enslaved US taxpayers.
“Ukraine planned attacks”
Ukraine tore Putin a new a-hole in the battlefield. You can deny that if you want but it won’t change the reality on the ground.
And if you want to make sh!t up, i’ll help you, Ukraine has been a colony of the US since the Spanish-American war.
Now, that is f king embarrassing for Putin, isn’t it. ?
“exists only thanks to billions from enslaved US taxpayers” – agree 100%.
In time of the old fashioned imperialism, the colonies offered great opportunities for the ordinary people of metropolitan states. Millions of people moved from metropolitan states to the colonies in search of lucrative jobs and business opportunities. Modern neocolonialism offers only military service abroad and only high-ranking officials have great opportunity for improving their financial situation. The overwhelming majority of metropolitan taxpayers have no benefit whatsoever from the colonies. They only pay for the exaggerated military budget, while all the profit go to the political-financial elite.
Ukraine belongs on the USA’s list of terrorist nations. The nations on that list do not belong there. Ukraine is causing terrorism in Syria as well as Ukraine.
Not sure about the “list” but Ukraine definitely is a terrorist state. Ukrainian terrorist activity is coordinated, financed and supervised from abroad.
30 years ago, US and Saudi Arabia created a Wahhabi terrorist state in North Caucasus. They called it Ichkeria. Later it was completely eliminated by Russian military forces and Chechen Muslims.
Of course, neo-Nazi Ukraine is much stronger than Wahhabi Ichkeria and NATO involvement in Ukraine is also much greater but still the pattern is the same: anti-human ideology, militarism and dependence upon the coordination and financial support from abroad.
As Alexander Mercouris says on YouTube this kind of James Bond-plan is typical of how Kiev has approached this war. Like attacking the Russian-held Zapo nuclear power plant with artillery and blaming it on Russia, and then trying to take the plant with soldiers transported across the river in rubber boats.
The Kurds however have had extensive contacts with the Russians in the past. The documents WaPo quotes say that the plan was nixed on the Kurdish side. When Syria’s government won the war, the Kurds knew they had to make peace with the Syrians, as they need access to the sea for exports and imports. That is why they could never declare independence. Even though the leadership, all of them from the PKK in Turkey, must have been dreaming of that moment every night.
More leaked docs:
Putin assured foreign leaders he would not invade Ukraine before he invaded. He Then attacked Ukrainians in Ukraine. His “planned” SMO objectives will not be met.
The document says Putin could allow the operations to proceed, but would likely require assistance from the China, Iran, and North Korea
You seem 2B the worst informed commentor on the site. Call me when the battles for Putins SMO objectives are over. Until then you are just blowing smoke and maybe your dog….
Well, the battles aren’t for any of SMO’s objectives, the battles are for Putin’s personal war. And again, will not be met.
You shouldn’t be talking about me being uninformed cause the nonsense you write here says the same about you.
In what way is it Putin’s personal war?
Which foreign leaders did Putin assure not to invade Ukraine?
It is well known that Putin informed Biden of Russia’s border security concerns and Biden saw no reason to respond appropriately. This is the Biden/Nuland neocon war. And they are losing, too bad.
I think DJ is just trolling for attention; I don’t think after all this time he really believes what he posts.
You do realize you are just repeating the words repeated ad nauseam from the same sources that lied and deceived on:
Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria and others?
Yeah….. but THIS time they are telling the truth and are right?
Really????? Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.
See? every time I develop a soft spot for Ukraine war effort, they go ahead and plan something stupid.
Stupid is as stupid does…
Recently a defense contractor was killed by a rocket attack on an American base in Syria. Was this Ukraine at work stirring up hostilities?
Obviously this is just another plan to expand the war and further provoke the Russians to fire the first shot at NATO. But, nobody really knows if the so called ‘leaks’ are just more disinformation from Wash. and NATO.