- Category
- Latest news
France Prepares Hospitals for European War Casualties as Invasion Scenarios Loom
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
The French Ministry of Health has instructed hospitals across the country to prepare for the possibility of a large-scale armed war in Europe by March 2026.
According to Daily Mail, a directive dated July 18, 2025, outlines France’s plan to establish a medical support system capable of treating tens of thousands of wounded soldiers—including foreign personnel—in coordination with NATO and the European Union.
The plan outlines the deployment of regional medical transit centers, designed to act as hubs for sorting and distributing patients arriving from potential frontlines.
These centers would direct injured personnel to civilian hospitals for treatment and facilitate their return to their countries of origin once stabilized.
According to the document, French hospitals may need to accommodate between 10,000 and 50,000 wounded service members over periods ranging from 10 to 180 days. On a national scale, the system should be able to handle 100 patients per day for two months, with possible surges of up to 250 patients daily during peak periods.
Regional health agencies have been tasked with identifying suitable locations for these facilities near major transport infrastructure and assessing available staff and equipment. Medical professionals are also expected to prepare for shortages and high patient inflows, including treatment of post-traumatic conditions and rehabilitation needs.
The directive calls for broad awareness among healthcare workers about the demands of a wartime environment, noting that staff may be mobilized to serve under the Military Health Service regardless of their current sector.
French officials emphasized that lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of preparing for scenarios described as “unlikely but possible.” Health Minister Catherine Vautrin stated that anticipation of such crises is part of national responsibility, comparing it to the maintenance of strategic reserves.
The initiative forms part of France’s 2025 national strategic review, which highlights the need to prepare for high-intensity war scenarios on the borders of the European Union.
Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu, speaking to French business leaders on August 28, noted that Russia increasingly targets infrastructure across Europe, framing the situation as a “permanent state of alert.”
The preparation comes amid heightened concerns in NATO countries over Russia’s military posture. Germany’s Chief of Defense, Carsten Breuer, said his country remains on alert as Russia conducts its Zapad-2025 exercises in Belarus. While he assessed a direct Russian attack on NATO territory as unlikely, he stressed the importance of readiness.
Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has also warned that coordinated actions by Russia and China could trigger a global war.
-24ca8683eb01b729cd8fae98f952003a.jpg "Ukrainian Ratel-S drone equipped with a downed Shahed warhead. (Source: omelyanovi4/Instagram)")
-0158b6b681e3668f470de36aedad9e3c.jpg "Russian Su-24 bomber moments before Ukrainian drone strike, Crimea. (Source: HUR)")
