France has begun training a Ukrainian brigade on its territory for front-line deployment against invading Russian forces.
A total of 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers are being trained as part of the Anna of Kyiv Brigade in Grand Est, with plans to add another 2,200 who will be trained in Ukraine.
Around 1,500 French military personnel are involved in the brigade’s multi-month integrated training, including “how to use and maintain French-supplied weapons, and subjecting them to combat-like conditions, with stress, noise and drones,” Le Monde wrote.
“Trenches have been dug using methods and layouts similar to those in Ukraine,” the outlet added.
To Be Equipped With Caesar Guns, Light Tanks
Named after the Kyiv princess who married French King Henry I in 1051, the Anna of Kyiv Brigade comprises three battalions of infantry, engineers, artillery, and other specialists.
It will be equipped with 128 armored troop carriers, 18 Caesar truck-mounted howitzers, 18 AMX light tanks, Milan anti-tank missiles, and heavy trucks.
French President Emmanuel Macron announced the brigade in June to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
Paris has trained around 15,000 Ukrainian soldiers since the invasion began in 2022, including in Poland.
Additionally, France has pledged military aid worth 3 billion euros ($3.27 billion) for Ukraine this year.