A leaked report claims that veterans from elite Western military units, including the British Special Air Service (SAS) and U.S. Navy SEALs, are training Russian citizens and active-duty military personnel to fight in Ukraine. The allegations suggest these training activities are taking place at military camps in Bulgaria and Serbia.
The assessment, compiled for Five Eyes intelligence agencies, reportedly states with 'strong confidence' that Western veterans are being recruited for this purpose. The findings emerged after a memo, allegedly prepared for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS), was leaked. According to the memo, two former Australian special forces operatives and an active-duty reservist were approached to become instructors at camps in Bulgaria and Serbia that allegedly worked with Russians.
One facility mentioned is the Alfa-Metal center, a military training company located in Mejdeni, northern Bulgaria. The report indicates that this center hires staff from various backgrounds, including veterans of the SAS, the Australian Commando Regiment, U.S. police forces, and the Navy SEALs. The Alfa-Metal international center advertises special forces training and advanced sniper courses, with prices around €5,000 (£4,292) per person, marketing itself to personnel from major security companies and private military companies.
The leaked report asserts that these private training camps in Europe have continued to train Russian citizens since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with whistleblowers claiming the camp trained Russian citizens as recently as 2025. The Alfa-Metal center's website reportedly features logos of the SAS and U.S. Navy SEALs when crediting its 'expert' instructors from around the world.
Under both UK and Australian law, it is illegal for former special forces personnel to use their training to assist a foreign state. The report also notes that the company allegedly posted a job advertisement on LinkedIn seeking an experienced SAS instructor with a strong operational background and instructional experience, specifying a requirement for a UK citizen.
Alfa-Metal describes itself on its website as the Bulgarian representative office for UK-based Alfa Metal Ltd and claims to have trained over 7,000 professionals. The company also introduced drone training courses in 2025 after becoming a certified Aviation Training Center, with advanced drone courses costing up to €5,500 (£4,723).
Some sources within the SAS have reportedly rejected these accusations, calling such actions a betrayal of their values and expressing surprise and deep disappointment at the allegations. The SAS is described as a small community where such activities would likely be known.
The leaked memo is reportedly under investigation by the Australian SIS, with findings expected to be shared with the UK and U.S. through the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing network. The Daily Mail has stated it could not independently verify these claims.
These allegations surface amidst continued fighting in Ukraine. In a recent development, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of 'senseless terror' following missile strikes on Kyiv. The strikes occurred after a 72-hour pause in hostilities, which coincided with visits by U.S. envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to Moscow and Kyiv with a peace plan.
Ukraine's defense minister, Yevhenii Khmara, recently warned Western allies that a significant portion of pledged funding remains outstanding, highlighting a deficit of €23 billion. He appealed for financial decisions by November to implement Ukraine's war plan, emphasizing the need for air defense interceptors, air-to-air interceptors, and funding for drones. The UK's Defense Secretary, Wes Streeting, reiterated the UK's commitment to supporting Ukraine through the winter and meeting its pledge of 120,000 drones, though deliveries have so far been limited.