Propagandists continue to propagate myths about the “Ukrainian trace” in Syria, in particular, statements about the cooperation between Ukraine's Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) and groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, incorporating them into their speeches at international organizations. Media loyal to the Assad regime actively spread such fabrications as well. For example, the Syrian newspaper Al Watan reported an alleged recruitment of militants by General Budanov.

This is written by the Centre for Strategic Communication and Information Security. Its experts noticed that Russian propaganda contradicts itself: on the one hand, it claims the elimination of militants in 2015, and on the other, it claims that they cooperate with Ukraine. After the collapse of the Assad regime, Syrian media admitted their fabrications, yet Russia continues to insist on its disinformation narratives.

This strategy to discredit Ukraine reveals the contradictions in Russian propaganda, which has fallen into its own trap, unable to explain its numerous fabrications. Claims that Ukraine is recruiting or arming Syrian militants are baseless and unsupported by any evidence. Their goal is to divert attention from Russia’s actions and its war crimes in Syria and Ukraine. Russian propaganda creates such fabrications to discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community and shift the focus away from Russia’s destructive actions in the region. This strategy is also aimed at legitimizing Russian aggression, portraying it as a supposed fight against global terrorism.