A leaked intelligence memo has raised allegations that Russian civilians and serving military personnel were trained for combat at private training camps in Europe, with instructors from Western military backgrounds, including former members of the British Special Forces, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph.
اضافة اعلان
European Training Camps
The memo says a camp operated by military training company Alpha Metal in Medzhini, northern Bulgaria, employs instructors with diverse backgrounds, including the British Special Forces, the Australian Commando Regiment, US police and US Navy special forces.
The center provides special forces training and advanced sniper courses at a cost of around €4,000 per person. It targets individuals seeking employment with private military companies, bodyguards and corporate security teams.
According to the memo, private training camps in Europe continued accepting Russian nationals for courses following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, including training in “advanced close-quarters combat.”
Russian Connections
Former special forces personnel interviewed as part of the information-gathering process said current employees had told them that the camp continued training Russian nationals as recently as 2025.
The information indicates that an intermediary whose identity was withheld by The Telegraph for security reasons interviewed former Australian military personnel as part of the intelligence-gathering process.
Alpha Metal’s website also features an image of the British Special Forces insignia on a page introducing the center’s instructors. About six months ago, the company posted an advertisement on LinkedIn seeking a British national with a strong operational background and proven training experience.
Company Denies Allegations
According to The Telegraph, Alpha Metal appears to be linked to Alpha Region, a Russian private security company based in St. Petersburg. Alpha Region had advertised the training camp on its website, referring to courses delivered by contractors and military instructors with experience in special forces and police units in Bulgaria, the United States, Russia, Greece, Israel and Ukraine.
Alpha Metal denied employing any former British Special Forces personnel or training Russian nationals since the start of the war in Ukraine. It also denied having any connection with Alpha Region and described the allegations as “false.”
The company said references to a “partnership agreement” with Alpha Region stemmed from “historical professional relationships.” It added that it had begun reviewing archived marketing materials to correct outdated content.
British Response
A senior source in the British Special Forces said that, if proven, such activity would be met with surprise and disappointment, noting the small size of the British Special Forces community and the extent to which information circulates within it.
Phil Campion, a former sergeant major with the British Special Forces’ 22nd Regiment, said training soldiers who could ultimately fight against British forces would be unethical. He described anyone doing so as either “rogue” or motivated by money.
David White, a retired British Special Forces colonel, said former special forces personnel have worked in military consultancy for years. However, he stressed that the regiment would have no sympathy for anyone proven to have been involved in training Russians.
The British Ministry of Defence said it has a longstanding policy of not commenting on British Special Forces or intelligence matters. It added that legislation is in place to counter hostile foreign activities and that the National Security Act provides relevant agencies with the tools needed to identify and disrupt threats.
