Alwaght- El Pais newspaper has reported that active and former military personnel from NATO states have long been operating in Ukraine, overseeing Kiev’s use of Western-supplied weapons.
The newspaper further revealed the US-led military bloc has been involved “in virtually every possible aspect” of the hostilities aside from active combat operations, the Spanish newspaper claimed.
That includes supplying weapons, providing targeting information, and training Ukrainian soldiers inside the country, RT news reported citing, El Pais.
The so called "volunteers" who joined the Ukrainian ranks are also serving as de facto agents for their home nations.
The presence of current and former NATO troops has been tacitly admitted by officials, the Spanish newspaper reported. It described recent suggestions by French President Emmanuel Macron that Western nations could send soldiers to Ukraine as “taboo-breaking,” in the sense of proposing active combat roles for Western military personnel.
This is not the first time Western media hint at the presence of Western troops fighting Russia or advising Ukrainian forces.
According to to Le Monde, since the outbreak of Ukraine war, numerous state actors associated with Western intelligence services, often with military status, have been present in the country. Undercover diplomatic personnel, advisers for Ukraine, and members of special forces have inherently played a role since the start of the war.
The actions of these services are by their very nature clandestine, and therefore outside the law of war," said Vincent Crouzet, a former employee of the Directorate-General for External Security (DGSE), who is now a writer and consultant.
"All the allied states have a presence in Ukraine. It's not a question of combat units, but there are representatives of each intelligence service, for example," said a Ukrainian diplomatic source, who requested anonymity to speak candidly. They said they were pleased that the question of strengthening the allied military presence in their country has been "in the air" since December. "If there are arms deliveries, there must be people there physically giving information on how to use the equipment," they added. "Ukraine is also being used as a testing ground for new equipment. Drones are tested there. These kinds of professionals are on the ground, of course."
Le Monde added that just the CIA is operating 12 secret bases on the Ukrainian soil. Next comes Britain that has been transparent about its presence in Ukraine mainly helping the Ukrainians with intelligence and also training them on Western weapons.
The Ukrainians themselves have been more clear about the Western presence on their soil.
Speaking to Kyiv Post, Andriy Yusov, spokesman for Ukraine’s Main Directorate of Intelligence (HUR), in February said “citizens of other states, by their consent, are fighting with honor against the Russian occupiers, in particular, as part of the International Legion of the HUR of Ukraine."
“This is happening publicly and within the law. This is what we can confirm. As for rumors and anonymous sources, we will withhold comment,” he added.
