Russian intelligence has determined that France is organizing a military contingent, initially planning to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine. Paris has not yet responded to these reports. Recent statements by French President Emmanuel Macron regarding the potential presence of French soldiers in Ukraine have alarmed allies.
Although the French president acknowledged the lack of consensus on sending ground troops to the war-torn country, he suggested that nothing could be ruled out. The Kremlin reacted to these declarations, and now, new details have been unexpectedly provided by Russian military intelligence.
Sergey Naryshkin, director of the Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation, stated that France is preparing to send about 2,000 personnel to Ukraine, but more may arrive later.
“The current French government is not concerned with the death of ordinary citizens or the worries of its generals. According to the information our intelligence has gathered, the contingent is already being prepared for deployment to Ukraine,” said the official, quoted by the pro-Kremlin news agency TASS.
According to him, the French government fears that it will not be possible to move the military personnel into the combat zone “quietly.” Naryshkin warned that if the intelligence findings are confirmed and if Paris indeed decides on such a move, the soldiers “will become a priority, legitimate target for attacks.”
The Kremlin believes that Macron’s statement that France is “de facto” already involved in Kyiv’s war with Moscow indicates that Paris is ready to “engage even more strongly.”
When asked about the French president’s words on Monday, the head of the Polish Ministry of National Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, assured that Poland is not considering sending troops to Ukraine and does not plan to do so. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk argued that regardless of the risk of war between NATO and Russia, no country can afford to ignore this threat.
“Therefore, we must prepare Poland for every scenario. This includes shelters, uniforms, and support for the Territorial Defense Forces,” said Poland’s prime minister.
