Since the start of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine, several false information have been circulating about the conflict, including about France’s participation in the fighting. On Sunday, the Belarusian online media Nexta estimated that Ukrainian soldiers engaged in the Foreign Legion – a corps of the French army made up of foreign soldiers – could “go to Ukraine with full combat equipment” to defend their country. .
The publication has gone viral, amassing more than 23,000 likes on Twitter to date. It has also been taken up in French by other users. But can we believe this information? 20 minutes make the point.
FAKE OFF
No, Ukrainian soldiers integrated into the Foreign Legion were not authorized to go to Ukraine to take part in the fighting against Russia. The information from the Nexta media was denied on Sunday by the French armed forces. “The Army rejects this false information. Whatever his nationality of origin, a legionnaire engages in the service of France”, could one read on his official account.
A few minutes after the publication of his first post, the Nexta media had also added in a second tweet “The news about the issue of combat equipment has not been confirmed. Without however deleting the false information from his Twitter feed…
9,000 soldiers
Created in 1831, the Foreign Legion is a body which has 9,000 foreign soldiers in the ranks of the French army. During Operation Barkhane, launched in 2014, the Foreign Legion, for example, participated alongside France in the fight against terrorist groups in the Sahel. But as the army points out, its commitment to combat depends on France’s decisions to take part – or not – in an armed conflict.
To date, France has not taken the decision to send troops to Ukraine. At the end of the defense council meeting on Saturday, France however announced its intention of “the additional delivery of defense equipment to the Ukrainian authorities, as well as fuel support”, indicated the Elysée. Deliveries of arms which will be coordinated on a European scale from a “hub” located in Poland, said Monday the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian.