Disturbing information about Russian aid to Hamas, psychological warfare by Ukraine – or both? The head of military intelligence in Kiev, General Kyrylo Budanov, claims that Russia transferred small arms to Hamas and carried out additional operations in the support envelope.
"We know clearly that weapons that Russia seized here were handed over to Hamas members," Budanov said in an interview with Ukrainian Pravda. "These are mainly small arms. There are fragments of information that something has also been handed over to Hezbollah, but so far it is not certain."
According to Budanov, videos on social media show the use of "loitering munitions" ("suicide" drones) against armored vehicles. "This is a tactic that is not typical of the Middle East, and was really developed during our war. They couldn't do that except people who went through the war here. Since we weren't in Gaza, it's the Russians." However, it is unclear from the interview whether the Russians were actually there – or whether Hamas members simply watched videos from the war in Ukraine and learned lessons.
Budanov added that there are two other suspicious facts. He said that a little more than a week before Hamas' terrorist attack, Lebanon's Sputnik Arabic station, "which broadcasts Russian propaganda," officially began operating. In addition, about two weeks before the attack, Russia placed a satellite over Israel capable of intercepting satellite signals and gathering intelligence. "I will recall that between September 22 and 24 there was a visit by a Russian military delegation to Iran. The Iranians made several requests, one of which concerned expanding their intelligence capabilities. It is now clear exactly what information the Russians have begun to provide to all interested parties. Let me emphasize: not only to Iran, but to all parties involved."
Watch Ali Baraka, the head of Hamas National Relations Abroad, who reveals how long Hamas has been preparing for the attacks & who supports Hamas politically, militarily or financially. Russia sympathizes with Hamas because US gets embroiled in Palestine.pic.twitter.com/Bbp5ILi0ff
— Velina Tchakarova (@vtchakarova) October 12, 2023
Reminder: The day after the terrorist attack, Ali Baraka, head of Hamas' international relations abroad department, was interviewed by the Russian channel RT in Arabic, and said, among other things, that Russia had allowed Hamas to manufacture Kalashnikov bullets in Gaza. "Moscow is pleased to see that the war with Gaza has distracted Washington from the war in Ukraine. Even Russia sympathizes with us and sent us messages on Saturday morning. There is sympathy. It's gratifying that the U.S. is getting entangled in the Palestinian issue because it reduces their pressure on the war in Ukraine."
On the other hand, in an interview with the Moscow-based Kommersant newspaper, Israeli Ambassador to Russia Alexander Ben-Zvi said this week that "talk of Russian involvement in the attack is nonsense in the juice." "First, we don't believe Russia is involved in the attack in any way," Ben-Zvi said. "Second, anyone who thinks that the United States will be forced to send any serious resources is mistaken. Yes, the United States is our strategic partner, they have supplied and will provide us with weapons. By the way, the opposite also happens. Nothing will change in this respect. And Russia understands this, too. So these statements [about Russian involvement] are a conspirology."
Yesterday, a week after the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said for the first time that Israel has the right to defend itself, but also added that "it is inconceivable that measures are being taken against Gaza as were taken during the siege of Leningrad" (referring to the Nazi siege of the city, which lasted 872 days; D.B.). He even offered to mediate between the parties
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