French Troops in Ukraine to Be Viewed as Legitimate Targets, Moscow Warns

Russia reportedly summons French and British ambassadors to explain ‘bellicose statements’ emanating from Paris and London.

Two foreign fighters from the UK ready to depart toward the front line in Lyiv, Ukraine, on March 5, 2022. Kal Pfaffenbach/Reuters

If French troops are sent to Ukraine, they will be regarded by Moscow as legitimate military targets, Russia’s foreign ministry has warned.

“If the French appear in the conflict zone, they will inevitably become targets for the Russian armed forces,” ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on May 8.