[Daily Caller] Russians are fighting on both sides of the civil war ripping Syria apart, possibly even against each other.A small group of former Russian paratroopers are operating in northern Syria, fighting against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Russian-backed forces. The group was featured in a video segment hosted by Bilal Abdul Kareem, an American journalist operating in Syria who has been criticized for being overly sympathetic to Islamist groups.
"We came here to protect the weak women and children," a masked Russian veteran told Kareem. "And to help the people which made their choice and did rise against the tyrant [Assad]."
The video showed the Russian veterans practicing military maneuvers including marksmanship, area clearing, and first aid skills. Donned with matching camouflage uniforms and carrying Russian weapons, the veterans are now using the skills they learned in Russia against the Kremlin’s allies in Syria.