France : Russia 'greatest threat to France,' particularly in Africa
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French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu emphasizes Russia as France's main threat, citing concerns for both French troops and interests in Africa.
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French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu leaves the weekly cabinet meeting, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Paris. (AP)
In a recent interview with Le Point magazine, French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu emphasized that Russia is currently France’s primary adversary. This discussion coincided with the release of Lecornu’s new book, where he outlined the security challenges facing Paris today.
When asked about the greatest threat to France, excluding terrorist groups, Lecornu stated, "Clearly it is the Russian Federation." He highlighted that Moscow has become "even more aggressive" this year compared to 2022 and 2023.
Lecornu claimed that Russia threatens not only French interests in Africa, but also poses a direct risk to the French Armed Forces positioned on non-French territories. He noted that "the Russian air traffic control has threatened to shoot down a French Rafale patrol."
Furthermore, Lecornu accused Russia of engaging in "information warfare" and of "militarizing new environments, including the seabed and cyberspace."
The French defense chief did not specify incidents, but both Russia and NATO have accused each other of risky aerial maneuvers.
In March, Russia claimed its jets escorted two French Rafale warplanes over the Black Sea. Furthermore, Russia has warned that France’s arms supplies to Ukraine could lead to dangerous escalation.
Additionally, in January, Russia summoned the French ambassador over the presence of "French mercenaries" in Ukraine, which France acknowledged but denied facilitating.
France completes training of Ukraine pilots on Alpha Jets for F-16 prep
Later, at the end of September of this year, the French armed forces announced that they had completed training the first group of Ukrainian pilots on Alpha Jets, a precursor to their upcoming F-16 training in Romania.
"France has just finished the training of the first group of Ukrainian pilots on Alpha Jet," the military said on X.
The Ukrainian Air Force has likewise posted the announcement.
Ukrainian pilots had been in training since March, the statement added.
In June, Le Monde reported that France had selected 10 Ukrainian pilots for training on Alpha Jets, a program that was shortened from the usual 18 months to six months.
France delayed the retirement of its Alpha Jets specifically for this training, which prepares the pilots for their future F-16 jet training in Romania.
Overall, France committed to training 26 Ukrainian pilots over two years.
The Alpha Jet, developed in the 1970s through a Franco-German NATO collaboration, was set to be replaced by more modern aircraft in 2023.
Read more: Ukrainian defense official calls Western allies 'infantile'
