Former Western special forces personnel may have trained Russian nationals, including serving military personnel, at private training facilities in Europe, according to an intelligence assessment obtained by The Telegraph.
The information was assessed with a high degree of confidence and included allegations involving former members of Britain’s Special Air Service, although the claims have not been independently verified.
The intelligence note was prepared for the Australian Secret Intelligence Service following conversations with two former Australian special forces operatives and a current reservist. According to their accounts, they were offered instructor positions at training facilities in Bulgaria and Serbia where Russian clients were allegedly receiving military-style instruction.
One facility identified in the assessment was Alfa-Metal in Bulgaria, which offers courses based on special forces training, including advanced sniper programmes costing about €4,000 per participant.
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Its potential customers have included personnel from private military companies, security guards and corporate security organisations.
The assessment claims that private European training centres continued accepting Russian nationals after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The former operatives said they were told by staff that Russian nationals were still being trained at some facilities as recently as 2025, including in close-combat techniques.
Alfa-Metal’s website has featured an SAS emblem and advertised for British instructors with special forces experience. One instructor listed by the centre claimed to have spent 12 years with US Special Operations Command, citing experience in counterterrorism, ranger training, airborne operations, jungle warfare and long-range reconnaissance.
Alfa-Metal has rejected the allegations. The company said it had not trained Russian citizens or employed former SAS personnel since the beginning of the invasion.
It also initially denied links to the Russian private security company Alfa Region, but acknowledged historical professional contacts with the organisation following questions from The Telegraph.
The intelligence assessment is being examined by ASIS and could be shared with British and US agencies through the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.
The Telegraph said it had been unable to independently verify the allegations. Sources within the SAS also questioned the claims, arguing that participation in training Russian personnel would be inconsistent with the values of the British special forces.
A UK Ministry of Defence representative declined to comment on British special forces or intelligence matters.
The allegations come as Ukrainian forces report advances on parts of the Sloviansk front in Donetsk and counterattacks elsewhere, while Kyiv says Russian military losses since the full-scale invasion have exceeded 1.5 million personnel.
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