Russia made a targeted strike in Kharkiv on Jan. 16 which, according to its Defense Ministry, killed “more than 60 foreign fighters” and wounded 20 more; the ministry called them “French mercenaries,” and the French ambassador was called to the Russian Foreign Ministry to receive a protest on Jan. 19. The French government denies that French mercenaries are allowed to fight in Ukraine or any other country. The French Foreign Ministry response implied hostility to Russia over events in Francophone Africa: “France has no mercenaries, neither in Ukraine nor elsewhere, unlike certain others.”
That these were French soldiers is indicated by several other reports including those from a pro-Russian “resistance” group in Ukraine which said, according to RIA Novosti, that “French-speaking personnel were present, supervising a Ukrainian paramilitary unit” at the building struck by the Russian missile. RT wrote of a Sputnik interview with Scott Ritter on Jan. 18 , reporting: “Russia’s targeting of French-speaking personnel suggests that advisers from NATO countries operating in Ukraine have been put on notice.”
“Speaking with Sputnik … Ritter pointed to the possibility that at least some of the French-speaking individuals may have been active-duty French military, ‘who were in Ukraine at the behest of their government, and now they’re dead.’
“‘I think this shows a new mindset for the Russians. … In the past, Russia has not shown any hesitancy to eliminate foreign mercenaries fighting on behalf of the Ukrainian military. But there has seemed to be some sort of leniency towards military advisers or personnel who belong to NATO countries who are in Ukraine.’
