How did Muslim Brotherhood fighters reach Kyiv? Who is responsible? Media leaks explain

Kyiv has stepped up its recruitment of fighters from Islamist organizations, particularly those active in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, even though these groups are classified as terrorist organizations by many Arab and Western countries.

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According to some Western media leaks, Ukraine has recently been working to attract fighters from the Yemeni Islah Party (the Yemeni branch of the Muslim Brotherhood) to participate in the war against the Russian armed forces, as reported by the “Elaph” website.

The leaks indicate that Yemeni fighters affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood undergo three weeks of training. Afterward, each group of 30 fighters is sent to Ukraine through Turkey.

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This operation is overseen by former Yemeni Defense Minister and advisor to the President of the Presidential Leadership Council, Mohammed Ali Ahmed Al-Maqdeshi, a prominent figure close to the Islah Party, who previously led the Yemeni armed forces after the Houthi insurgency overthrew the legitimate government.

The operation is also managed by General Abdou Farhan Salem Al-Makhlafi, a senior military leader within the Muslim Brotherhood, considered the de facto military ruler of Yemen’s Taiz province. He has also gained notoriety for several corruption scandals, the persecution and torture of civilians, and for recruiting Yemenis to fight in terrorist Islamist organizations. He collaborates with one of Islah‘s prominent political leaders, Mebkout Bin Aboud Al-Sharif, as well as the head of its executive office in the Marib province, which holds significant oil and archaeological wealth.

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Western media leaks suggest that the developing relationship between Islah and the Kyiv regime has been facilitated by the mufti of Ukraine’s Muslim community, Said Ismailov (or Sergiy Ismailov, according to his passport, as he clarified in media statements). He has played a crucial role as the “link” between Muslim Brotherhood representatives and the Ukrainian armed forces. Ismailov is a Ukrainian researcher specializing in Islamic studies, who served as the mufti of Ukraine’s Muslims and their spiritual leader for 13 years.

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Following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in February 2022, Ismailov left his religious position and joined the Ukrainian army, launching several initiatives to raise funds for the army and other security structures engaged in the fighting. He also played a role in recruiting Islamist fighters from abroad.

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