Reuters, The Guardian, Bloomberg, The Washington Post and Al Jazeera all covered the alleged role of Ukrainian intelligence. Ukrainian intelligence itself associated the country with forces that, during the same combat episode, operated alongside a jihadist organization. In December 2024, The Washington Post reported that Ukrainian intelligence had sent a group of drone operators and approximately 150 FPV drones to Syria’s Idlib province. In Mali, Ukrainian intelligence engaged with rebels operating in the same battlespace as an Al-Qaeda affiliate. This approach was especially evident in March 2026, when the Ukrainian authorities launched an extensive publicity campaign around cooperation with the Gulf states.