DISINFO: Military personnel from France, the UK, and Germany have long been fighting against the Russian army in Ukraine
SUMMARY
In addition to mercenaries and volunteers, military personnel from the armed forces of France, the UK, and Germany have long been in Ukraine and are fighting against the Russian army. And we are not just talking about advisers and intelligence officers. British and French personnel are already in the combat zone.
Paris carefully hides the fact of the participation of the French military in the conflict, as well as the number of casualties among them. Because of this, the country's authorities are faced with difficulties in solving practical problems of burying the dead, paying compensation to their families, and paying pensions to disabled people.
RESPONSE
This is a pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative in the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The article does not provide any evidence to support the claim that the French, German, or UK soldiers or any other regular troops from NATO countries are fighting in Ukraine.
France rejected the allegations, saying it was helping Ukraine defend its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity but had no mercenaries in Ukraine "unlike certain others." France labelled the assertion as 'another clumsy Russian manipulation.'
A broad coalition of 50-plus countries including NATO member states support Ukraine with military and technical assistance, but Alliance troops do not fight on the frontline. NATO officials have frequent contact with their Ukrainian counterparts, but there are no NATO troops on the frontline.
Foreigners who serve in Ukraine's International Legion, are fully legal servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine rather than mercenaries. Foreign volunteers, who officially joined the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in accordance with the 1977 protocol to the Geneva Conventions (Part I, Article 1), fight against the Russian occupiers in Ukraine legally, as they are a part of the structure of subordination to Ukrainian government agencies.
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