The French ambassador to Russia was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday to respond to Kremlin allegations about the presence of French mercenaries in Ukraine. In fact, Russia justified the bombing of a hotel in Kharkiv on Tuesday with the presence of French fighters inside. The Quai d'Orsay denounces a false accusation and an attempt at manipulation.
Published on: January 18, 2024 – 9:56 p.m
2 minutes
The Quai d'Orsay could have done without this controversy. France “does not have 'mercenaries'” in Ukraine, the French Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, January 18, in response to Moscow's claims that it attacked a building containing “French mercenaries” in Kharkiv (north) on Tuesday. were accommodated. – East).
“France has no 'mercenaries', neither in Ukraine nor elsewhere, unlike others. This is a new gross Russian manipulation. We should not give it greater importance than the previous ones and the following ones that will surely arrive,” added the Quai d'Orsay. The Tass agency reported that the French ambassador to Russia, Pierre Lévy, was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday, citing the ministry's spokesman.
While the Russian Defense Ministry claims it killed “French mercenaries,” they actually hit homes, power plants and medical facilities. This statement was reinforced with little emphasis by the media while France announced that it would supply more SCALP missiles [#infowar].… https://t.co/lLCIcSqaiq
– alleyesonwagner (@alleesonwagner) January 17, 2024
Russia claimed responsibility on Wednesday for an attack the evening before on a building where “French mercenaries” were stationed in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. Local authorities reported 17 injured civilians there.
“While the Russian Defense Ministry claims to have killed French mercenaries, in fact they hit energy and medical infrastructure,” responded the NGO All Eyes on Wagner on the social network X (formerly Twitter).
France denounces an attempt at manipulation
These Russian accusations came after President Emmanuel Macron announced on Tuesday that France would deliver 40 additional long-range Scalp missiles to Kiev and sign a security agreement with Ukraine. Ukraine's allies also launched an “artillery” coalition in Paris on Thursday to respond to Kiev's urgent weapons needs.
For a high-ranking French officer, the pace of accusations is exactly in line with French announcements. “Russia uses the information field to respond to the political field,” he explains on condition of anonymity.
“This is part of their narrative, which is about a NATO war against Russia and conspiring against Moscow to prevent it from becoming a power,” he adds.
According to him, the Russian accusations are aimed primarily at the Russian population “to confirm that their leaders are courageously fighting against a bloc of states.” They also claim “a kind of vagueness for those in Western countries who think Russia is right.”
With AFP