France sent intervention forces to Ukraine

French authorities sent to Slavic in the east of Ukraine, about 150 soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the abroad Legion. They were to assist the Ukrainian army in repelling Russia's offensive on the Donbast section. They are to be joined by about 1,400 more soldiers. However, the first combat experiences of the individual are not successful.

France sent intervention forces to Ukraine. The soldiers of the abroad Legion were to service in artillery units and reconnaissance, to support the Ukrainian 54th Mechanized Brigade, defending the Bilohorivka area. In the vast majority, they were not French citizens, which means that the government in Paris decided to make a compromise due to the fact that it wanted to avoid sending its own citizens to the front.

It appears that the government was right due to the fact that shortly after arriving at Donbas, the legionaries were shot at by the Russians. The attack occurred yesterday, while they were stationed in partially destroyed power stations in Slaviansk. The buildings were hit by Russian missiles, killing and wounding an unknown number of soldiers.

The decision of Paris to send armed formations to Ukraine is "extremely provocative" and entails a possible hazard of escalation in Russia's relations with Poland. There is no anticipation that soldiers of the abroad Legion going to Ukraine can enter from a country another than Poland.

In late February, French president Emmanuel Macron declared that defeating Russia is essential to warrant safety in Europe. He added that in the future it should not be excluded that Western land forces should be sent to Ukraine.

At the beginning of May, Macron stated in an interview with the British weekly Economist that the Western states "should ask themselves a question" about the deployment of troops from these countries in Ukraine in the event that the Russians would cross the front line and the Kiev authorities asked for direct military support, or dislocation of soldiers.

The statements of the French president met with many comments from safety politicians and experts. Most NATO associate States responded to Paris' proposal with a reserve. The United States authorities declared in February that Washington was not going to send its troops to Ukraine.

The French and Ukrainian authorities have not yet referred to any reports Asia Times, concerning the relocation of the abroad Legion to Slavic, and especially to the Russian attack and losses suffered.

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