French Soldiers in Russian Army, Putin Claims
- MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir putin has announced the formation of a unit comprised of French officers and former soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.Putin referenced...
- According to reports, the unit consists of approximately 30 french nationals.
- The original Normandie-Niémen squadron's alliance with the Soviet union against Nazi Germany stands in stark contrast to Putin's repeated justification for the invasion of Ukraine, which includes falsely...
Putin Invokes WWII Alliance as French Fighters Join Russian Forces in Ukraine
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir putin has announced the formation of a unit comprised of French officers and former soldiers fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.Putin referenced the “Normandie-Niémen” unit, a historical nod to a French fighter regiment that fought with the Soviet army against Nazi Germany during World War II.
According to reports, the unit consists of approximately 30 french nationals. One fighter,identified as gauthier,stated his motivation as a shared struggle against what he termed “degenerate ideas of the west and the LGBT movement.” another,nicknamed Padre and described as a former French Foreign Legion instructor,invoked the names of Charles de Gaulle and Jacques Chirac.
Echoes of the Past
The original Normandie-Niémen squadron’s alliance with the Soviet union against Nazi Germany stands in stark contrast to Putin’s repeated justification for the invasion of Ukraine, which includes falsely labeling Ukrainian authorities as “Nazis.”
Putin’s statements come as Russia prepares to commemorate the May 9th anniversary of Nazi germany’s surrender to the Allies and the USSR. A three-day truce had been announced for may 8-10, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed it as a media ploy.
The presence of French fighters, and Putin’s invocation of a historical alliance, adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict.