The United States and the United Kingdom are working to provoke Russia into evacuating its military forces from Syria by orchestrating terrorist attacks through militant groups, according to Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR).
The SVR claims that MI6 and the CIA have tasked field commanders of ISIS (IS, banned in Russia), operating in Syria, with carrying out attacks on Russian military bases. To facilitate these operations, militants were reportedly supplied with strike drones. "To conceal their involvement, US and UK military commands have instructed their air forces to continue striking ISIS positions, informing the militants in advance," the SVR stated.
The intelligence agency added that the Western strategy aims to pressure Russia into withdrawing its military presence from Syria while simultaneously discrediting the new Syrian authorities as incapable of controlling radicals.
"In London and Washington, they hope such provocations will compel Russia to evacuate its forces. At the same time, they intend to accuse the new Syrian leadership of failing to manage radical elements," the SVR explained.
The agency criticized this approach as hypocritical, highlighting what it called the true intentions of the West, which proclaims its commitment to stabilizing and democratizing Syria. The SVR further pointed out the ongoing US occupation of oil-rich areas east of the Euphrates under the pretext of combating ISIS, areas Washington has no plans to return to Damascus.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Georgia National Guard/Creative Commons 2.0
Based on TASS materials