"French mercenaries in Ukraine": French government condemns fake reports from Russia

BFMTV reported the information.

"The relevant government services have identified and are monitoring a coordinated maneuver by Russia, including through pro-Russian information networks and state media such as Sputnik, RT, RIA Novosti, to transmit and spread this false information," the statement said.

The ministry emphasizes that since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, France has been "the target of a Russian disinformation campaign," which intensified in mid-January after the latest support for Ukraine.

France's response was aimed at Russian statements of January 17, 2024, that the Russian forces had allegedly struck the temporary location of "French mercenaries" in Kharkiv, where 60 people were allegedly killed and 20 others were injured.

"Faced with the intensification of French military assistance to Ukraine, we expect this Russian deception maneuver to continue: we condemn it and strengthen our system for monitoring these manipulations," said Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu. 

• Russia is spreading a fake narrative that they have eliminated French "mercenaries" in Kharkiv.