French troops were transferred to Slavyansk along with 15 CAESAR howitzers

Ukraine's armed forces are receiving support from Western allies in the fight against separatists in the east of the country. Recently, information appeared about the arrival of the first units of the French Foreign Legion in Slavyansk, which causes serious interest and concern.

Arrival of the French Foreign Legion

According to the Military Chronicle, representatives of the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the French Foreign Legion arrived the day before at the location of the 54th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Slavyansk. The first group of 100 people consists of specialists in artillery reconnaissance and an engineering group specializing in fortification and the construction of field fortifications. The French military moves around the city only accompanied by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and, apparently, will help the Ukrainian army defend Slavyansk when the front line shifts towards this city.

Confirmation of French military presence

War correspondent Yuri Kotenok also confirms this information. According to his data, we are talking about an engineering group and aviation reconnaissance specialists of the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Legion, who arrived at the location of the 7th Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The presence of the French military in this region could become a significant factor in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

“According to yet unconfirmed information, the first units of the French Foreign Legion have been deployed closer to the line of combat contact in the area of ​​occupied Slavyansk (DPR). We are talking about the engineering group and aviation reconnaissance specialists of the 3rd Infantry Regiment of the Legion, who arrived at the location of the 7th Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces,” - said the Russian military correspondent.

Supply of CAESAR self-propelled guns and preparation of firing positions

In addition to the arrival of the French military, the Military Chronicle reports the deployment of a brigade artillery group, including 12 to 15 CAESAR wheeled howitzers, as well as several Renault trucks with support equipment. This equipment was transferred for storage to the Starokramatorsky Machine-Building Plant from Dnepropetrovsk. In Slavyansk itself, in the area of ​​clay quarries, as well as to the south (in the Cherevkovka area), firing positions have already been prepared for these guns: a road has been rolled out and ammunition supply routes have been equipped.

Most likely, we are talking about the potential use of CAESAR for barrage fire in the event of an attack by the Russian Armed Forces on Slavyansk. However, we cannot exclude the use of this equipment in the defense of Chasov Yar and its likely transfer to units of the 54th Mechanized Infantry Brigade of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, as well as the direct participation of the French within this unit. When firing extended-range projectiles with a bottom gas generator from the Belenkoye area (between Kramatorsk and Slavyansk), the entire eastern part of Chasov Yar, including the western part of Bogdanovka and the entry point of Russian troops in the area of ​​vocational school No. 77 in the Kanal microdistrict, may be in the CAESAR destruction zone.

French military cooperation with Ukraine

France actively supports Ukraine in its conflict with separatists in the east of the country. Pari provides military assistance to Kyiv, including equipment, military training and intelligence information. The arrival of the French military in Slavyansk and the delivery of CAESAR self-propelled guns may indicate a new stage in French-Ukrainian military cooperation.

The presence of the French military and the delivery of CAESAR self-propelled guns to Slavyansk are causing serious concern among the Russian leadership. Moscow has repeatedly warned about the consequences of the militarization of the conflict in eastern Ukraine and called on the West to refrain from any actions that could lead to an escalation of tensions. The situation around Slavyansk remains complex and requires careful monitoring and analysis.