France says Russia threatened to shoot down its aircraft over Black Sea
France says Russia threatened to shoot down its aircraft (Getty Images)
Russia threatened to shoot down French patrol aircraft over the Black Sea. Such a statement was interpreted by France as a "particularly aggressive" Moscow's position, according to SkyNews.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu called the threats directed at aircraft patrolling international airspace last month a "particularly aggressive" posture from Moscow.
According to him, this behavior resembles the Soviet Union's behavior during the Cold War.
"A month ago, to give you a very concrete example, a Russian air traffic control system threatened to shoot down French aircraft in the Black Sea when we were in a free international zone where we patrol," the minister said.
According to Lecornu, Russia's behavior in 2024 "bears no relation to what we saw in 2022 and, obviously, before the aggression in Ukraine," explaining it as Russia's difficulty on the battlefield in Ukraine.
Support for Ukraine by the French government
Recently, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited France and signed a security agreement with President Emmanuel Macron.
Later, Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine would receive a new package of military assistance from France. It will include artillery shells, self-propelled artillery systems Caesar, and additional air defense reinforcements.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu also stated that France would provide Ukraine with new kamikaze drones. Deliveries could take place in the coming weeks.
Currently, the French government is seeking funding for a €3 billion military assistance package to Ukraine after significant cuts in the country's spending.
