Russia’s UN ambassador accuses Ukraine of aiding Syria rebels

Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations accused Ukrainian intelligence services of aiding rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government, saying some fighters were “openly flaunting” the association.

Rebels fighting with Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) “have not only not concealed the fact that they are supported by Ukraine, but they are also openly flaunting this,” Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council on Tuesday. Russia is an ally of Syria.

The envoy said there was an “identifiable trail” showing Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence service was providing weapons to fighters in northwest Syria.

“Ukrainian military instructors from the GUR are present … training HTS fighters for combat operations,” including against Russian troops in Syria, said Nebenzia.

A renewed offensive in the past week, led by HTS and its allies, has seen a massive shift in the long-frozen front lines of Syria’s civil war, with the Islamist-led rebels advancing on Syria’s fourth-largest city Hama after capturing Aleppo.

Russia’s 2015 intervention in the Syrian civil war turned the tide in the Assad government’s favour.