The French military is currently training and equipping Ukraine’s Anne de Kyiv Brigade in France. This is the first time a foreign country has trained a Ukrainian brigade within its borders, according to the French Embassy in Kyiv.
According to French President Emmanuel Macron, the French Armed Forces are training 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers in the Grand Est region of the northeast.
Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and his French counterpart Sebastien lecornu, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron are expected to meet some of the 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers that Paris has been training since the full-scale Russian invaded.
“France is first country to train an entire Ukrainian brigade in its territory.” This initiative is unprecedented in terms of both the number of soldiers trained and the duration of training,” read the statement.
Under the new program Ukrainian soldiers are being taught in France and Poland. According to the embassy, the training simulates real combat operations using French equipment which will be given to the Ukrainian military.
J’en avais pris l’engagement : nos militaires forment actuellement 2 300 soldats ukrainiens dans le Grand Est, avec des equipements qu’ils utiliseront en mission.
La brigade Anne de Kyiv sera formee et equipee grace a la solidarite de la France. pic.twitter.com/LFwv06LW6b– Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) October 9, 2024
The training includes armored combat using AMX10 RC wheeled tank and Milan missiles. It also includes air defense using Mistral rockets as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, snipers and Caesar artillery.
In June, Macron announced that Paris would supply Kyiv an unspecified amount of Mirage 2000-5 aircraft to increase its air power. The French Armed Forces announced that the first group of Ukrainian pilots has completed Alpha Jet training.
The embassy stated that “the training of pilots forms part of the ongoing transfer AASM and SCALP Air-to-Ground Weaponry.”
Paris delivered to Ukraine several long-range SCALP SCALP missiles after the start of Russia‘s full scale war. Macron announced a coalition in February to supply Kyiv “medium and long-range bombs and missiles.”
Some countries have reportedly supported Macron’s initiative to send military instructors to Ukraine. However, there has been no progress.
“France is a pioneer in training a fully-fledged Ukrainian Brigade on its soil.” This initiative is unprecedented in terms of both the number of soldiers trained and the duration of training,” said the French Embassy in Kyiv.
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