Is it true that France sent a foreign legion soldier to Ukraine?

In early May 2024, Russian media reported that 100 military personnel of the French unit were transferred to the Donetsk region of Ukraine. We decided to check how reliable this information is.

May 5 "Russian newspaper","Komsomolskaya Truth" Lenta.ru, "Gazeta.ru"And other publications wrote that 100 soldiers of the French Foreign Legion were sent to fight to Ukraine. It was argued that they were deployed in support of the 54th separate mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces in Slavyansk, and the military themselves belong to one of the main units of the foreign legion-the 3rd Infantry Regiment. Most of the media referred to Stephen Brain, a former assistant deputy Minister of Defense of the United States, and his article in the ASIA Times

In the past two months, Russian propaganda has become more active in attacking France and president of the country Emmanuel Macron. This is connected with statements Politics about the possible sending of the French military to Ukraine. After that, the French president became the favorite hero of the creators of fake news: it was for him, for example, the majority was dedicated to fake covers In the first months of 2024.

Article c Asia Times, which Russian media refers, really exists, it was published on May 4. Its author, Stephen Brian, writes in the first paragraph: "France first officially sent its troops to Ukraine." He further notes that so far we are talking about 100 military personnel, but in the future their number will reach 1,500. Brian, as indicated in the retelling of his text, used to be the post of assistant to the Deputy Minister of Defense of the United States-however, it was back in 1987-1989, under the presidents Ronald Reagan and George Boucher-Starsh.

In two days Asia Times made edits In the article, providing it with a notification that the author himself doubted in his sources (which, however, did not bring in the original text). The hyperlink used in the original publication, the newspaper writes, does not work, and the text had to be changed, indicating that the information was not confirmed and that the French authorities deny the sending of military personnel to Ukraine. In fact, the link was originally non -working: Asia Times simply reprinted the text that Brian Published In its blog on Substack.

In the new version of the article, the publication added a link to the source of Brian's information - it turned out to be fast The Russian State news news agency Sputnik, published on the social network X as early as April 13. In turn, Sputnik referred to the publication in the anonymous Telegram channel "Military Chronicle". Judging by the TGSTAT service, that post is really the earliest of those that tells about the French Foreign Legion in Slavyansk. An entry that collected about 520,000 views was placed April 12 at 13:15 Moscow time. Exclusive “data of the“ military chronicle ”” are indicated as the source of information. ”

The French authorities called reports about sending legionnaires to Ukraine Fake. The corresponding statement of the country's Foreign Ministry was Published On the official page of the department in x: “Caution, fake! Disinformation campaigns related to the support of France of Ukraine do not weaken, and here is evidence. No, France did not send troops to Ukraine. ”

The main strangeness in the reports of legionnaires is an indication of the unit, whose representatives allegedly arrived in Slavyansk. 3rd Infantry Regiment of the French Foreign Legion Based In South America, in French Guiana. The regiment has several tasks: first of all, legionnaires Provide protection cosmodrome in Kuru, where is located Guyan Space Center, jointly used by the European Space Agency and the French National Cosmic Research Center. In addition, a foreign legion Participates In the Harpy operation, aimed at combating illegal gold mining in Guiana. Finally, the 3rd Infantry Regiment is responsible for the work Training centerIn which the French special forces learns to conduct operations in the jungle. In total, up to 500 soldiers and officers are listed in the regiment, not counting the auxiliary personnel.

The number of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, the place of its base and the specific tasks that it performs, suggests that the probability of sending this unit for the war in Ukraine is extremely small. In addition, at the turn of April and May, the legionnaires, in addition to the main service, were busy with other cases: annually on April 30, the Foreign Legion celebrates the anniversary Battle of Kamaron (1863), this is one of the main memorable days for employees in the unit.

On May 8, the 3rd Infantry Regiment celebrated Victory Day over Nazi Germany, and then arranged an open day for local residents: games for children, lottery, and beauty contest were held.

However, the author of the article with which it all started introduced even more confusion after admitting to the doubtfulness of his sources. Brian, setting a link to Sputnik, He began to make excuses And in confirmation of his words he brought another publication. According to the author, "it is well known that the 3rd Brigade of the Foreign Legion is training before being sent to Ukraine." There is no such compound as the 3rd brigade in the legion, but it can be assumed that we are talking about a typo. As a source, Brian refers to the "French media", and the link leads to the site Le Courrier des Stratèges, where March 15 an article appeared on how a foreign legion allegedly prepares for battles in Ukraine. The editor -in -chief of this portal is a famous French conspiracyologist Eric Verheg, the author of the article is the ultra -right publicist and historian Eduar Svisson, illuminating the war in Ukraine from pro -Russian positions. 

But this publication is not the source of the news: Yusson refers to "colleagues from SouthFront.press." March 14 on this site was Published An article in English and French on how in France, in the center for training in La-cortin on the basis of a foreign legion, a battalion is being formed for sending to Ukraine. An anonymous author does not give any sources. Meanwhile, this site has been well known since the beginning of the full -scale war of Russia and Ukraine. In March 2022, the US Department of Finance Appealed him in sanctions list (then the resource was located at SouthFront.org) for interference with the US presidential election in 2020 and the spread of misinformation about the war in Ukraine. The site has nothing to do with France: it was registered In 2015 in Moscow and re -registered At the new address there in 2024. "Checked" already I paid attention On this resource in connection with the publication of fakes about the war in Ukraine.

In the conditions of ongoing hostilities, one cannot be fully confident in the presence or absence of a particular unit at the front. But in the case of a foreign legion, the units of which supposedly already arrived near Slavyansk, too many implausible details. Firstly, the author of the article that attracted the attention of the Russian media, later recognized his sources dubious. Secondly, the most likely anonymous source indicates that the legionnaires belong to the regiment, which performs tasks that are not combined with the presence in Ukraine. Thirdly, the Proceedings of the Foreign Legion to Russia were the first to write the pro-Khremple blogs, more than once caught in the distribution of fakes. 

Thus, while from reliable sources it does not know the opposite, we can conclude that the news about the presence of the French foreign legion in Ukraine is not true.

Photo on the cover: The site of the French Foreign Legion

Not true

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