France Views Russian Intelligence Chief's Statement Regarding Sending Troops to Ukraine as a Provocation

Illustration of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. (Wikimedia Commons/Mil.ru)

JAKARTA - The French Ministry of Defense on Tuesday called statements made by the head of Russia's foreign intelligence service, regarding plans to send 2,000 troops from that country to Ukraine, as disinformation and irresponsible.

"The maneuvers carried out by Sergei Naryshkin, Director of Russian Foreign Intelligence, once again illustrate Russia's systematic use of disinformation," the Defense Ministry said in a statement, reported by Reuters, March 20.

"We consider this kind of provocation irresponsible," the statement stressed.

As previously reported, Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Sergey Naryshkin said that Russia had received information that France was preparing a military contingent of 2,000 troops to be sent to Ukraine.

"According to information coming to the Russian SVR, the contingent that will be sent to Ukraine has already been prepared. Initially, it will include around 2,000 troops," he said, quoted by TASS.

The SVR Director further explained that the French military was "worried that such a large military unit could not be moved and stationed in Ukraine without being noticed."

"As such, it will become a legitimate priority target for attacks by the Russian armed forces. This means they will suffer the same fate as all the French who have ever come to Russia with swords," he stressed.

It is known that French-Russian relations have worsened in recent weeks as Paris increased its support for Ukraine, including signing a long-term bilateral security agreement, pledging to send more long-range cruise missiles.

President Emmanuel Macron has also taken a tougher stance on Russia, vowing Moscow must be defeated.

He has not ruled out that European troops may one day have to go to Ukraine, although has made clear that France has no intention of inciting hostility towards Russia.

Paris also accused Russia of habitually spreading false information. In January, they rejected the notion that Paris had mercenaries in Ukraine, a day after Russian lawmakers adopted a resolution condemning French mercenaries there.