Russia shares weapons, experience from Ukraine war with Hamas — intelligence spokesperson Yusov

Andriy Yusov, a representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, said this in an interview with Espreso, published today, October 22, 2023.

Regarding Iran's alleged involvement in a planned Hamas terrorist attack on Israel, Yusov said that the US has already officially said that it has no such information, so the Ukrainian agency also does not have any evidence.

However, Yusov confirmed the words of the head of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, in an interview with Ukrainska Pravda about Russia's participation in the preparation of the Hamas attack and the supply of Ukrainian trophy weapons captured in Ukraine to terrorists.

"This is 100% accurate information. The whole world has seen the visits of Hamas representatives to Moscow. And they were official visits, they were not hidden. And during these visits, they did not discuss the development of ballet and culture, climate protection, or some kind of Kremlin-Hamas friendship evenings. It is clear what both sides were interested in. There was interaction and weapons were transferred - some samples of small arms and infantry weapons," Yusov said.

He noted that Russia transferred weapons to Hamas before the latest attacks on Israel, meaning that Russia was informed about the attack. These statements, he said, are confirmed by video footage with Russian language that was heard during the attacks on Israel, which, along with other allies, was also informed about the upcoming attack on the country.

Yusov also confirmed Budanov's information about the training of terrorists with FPV drones conducted by Russian instructors.

"It is 100% reliable. How did we find out? Operational information, intelligence work, and more. There is also an exchange of information internationally. Yes, Russian instructors, Russia, using the so-called PMCs (did this - ed.)," the representative of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine emphasized.

He emphasized that there are no private military companies in Russia, and that what Russians call PMCs are part of the Russian special services. These structures operate with the support and full funding from the Russian budget or from the budgetary structures around it.

"After all, a person who looks like Putin confirmed this about Wagner PMC on live TV," Yusov added.

According to him, PMCs perform tasks, including those of the military and political leadership of the Russian ruling regime, and have been in contact and interaction with Hamas long before the attack on Israel.

"The fact that today Hamas is using the experience, including that of the Russian-Ukrainian war, with knowledge of the matter is obvious, again, to many in the world," Yusov noted.

• Russian troops are attacking Ukraine with new unmanned aerial vehicles of an unspecified type. They buy the engines for these drones on the Chinese website AliExpress.