WW3 fears erupt as Russia accuses France of ‘sending troops to fight’ in Ukraine | World | News

Russia has accused France of planning to covertly send its troops to Ukraine, as tensions between Moscow and Paris continue to grow. President Macron has infuriated the Kremlin by recently agreeing to a new arms deal with Kyiv.

Paris will supply Ukraine‘s military with 100 of its Rafale F4 fighter jets as well as advanced air defence systems. The deal was hailed as “historic” by Volodymyr Zelensky, with deliveries of the jets set to start next year. The military package will provide a major boost to Ukraine’s air defences, as they come under intense Russian pressure.

However, Russian military experts say that Kyiv will need French assistance in operating these new sophisticated weapons.

The Kremlin believes that Macron’s government is paving the way to allow it to secretly deploy French troops in Ukraine to help Kyiv militarily.

Russia‘s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has pointed to a government resolution No. 2025-1030 that was recently adopted.

The SVR claims the legislation allows Paris to use private military companies to provide assistance to “a third country in a state of armed conflict”, a claim strongly denied by France.

The agency has warned Macron that Russia will consider France as a direct participant in the war if it sends any military personnel to Ukraine.

“The mastery of Mirage and other equipment requires time and highly specialised personnel,” they said in a statement. “For this purpose, Kyiv will need foreign private military companies equipped with modern Western, mainly French, weapons.

“Western private military companies can be used to solve these problems, but their participation will be perceived by Moscow as direct participation of France in military operations against Russia.”

They also added that any French private military contractors in Ukraine will become “the primary legal target of the Russian Armed Forces”.

Macron’s relationship with Putin has deteriorated rapidly since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Previously, the French President had attempted to extend the hand of friendship to the Kremlin dictator, believing diplomacy could resolve all problems.

However in August Macron was forced to admit his attempts had been futile, and called Putin “a predator, an ogre at our doorstep” in an interview on LCI.