"I recall stories during the war of Russian advisors having helped prepare Iraq's defences in Baghdad"
Having witnessed how the defense of Baghdad failed completely, I believe it.
Those reports were about the two elderly Soviet generals - both of whom participated in the coup against Gorbachev, supported the Oct '93 uprising against Yeltsin, and have made disparaging comments about Putin. They're died-in-the-wool hardline commies and if the Iraqis took their advice I'd be amazed - but it made good "press."