Veterans of Western special forces suspected of training Russian soldiers for the war against Ukraine – The Telegraph
Kyiv • UNN
An intelligence leak links Western special forces veterans to training Russians in Bulgaria and Serbia. Alfa-Metal denies the allegations.
Veterans of Western special forces, allegedly including former British SAS personnel, may have trained Russians at military training centers in Europe. This is stated in a leaked intelligence document reviewed by The Telegraph, reports UNN.
Details
According to the document, Western military veterans may have been recruited to train citizens of the Russian Federation, allegedly including active-duty Russian servicemen. The information is based, in particular, on testimony from former Australian special forces personnel.
According to the publication, they were offered work as instructors at training centers in Bulgaria and Serbia, where Russians may have been among the clients.
Russians may have been trained even after 2022
The Alfa-Metal training center in Bulgaria came under scrutiny. The intelligence assessment claims that its instructors may have included veterans of the British SAS, Australian special forces, and U.S. special operations forces.
According to sources' testimony, citizens of the Russian Federation may have undergone training there even after the start of the full-scale invasion, including in 2025.
Alfa-Metal denies hiring SAS veterans or training Russians after the start of the full-scale war. The Telegraph also notes that it was unable to independently verify the allegations set out in the intelligence document.