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How France is Expanding Its Military Support for Ukraine With Brigade Equipment and Training
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Ivan Khomenko")
Ukraine has reached an agreement with the French government to equip another army brigade with French weaponry as part of military assistance.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced this on his X (Twitter), stating, “As we enter the third year of full-scale war, our soldiers at the front need reinforcement. We are urgently working on equipping our brigades. France has already equipped one brigade, and we have an agreement for another.”
This initiative involves the training of 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers in the new 155th Mechanized Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv. France has also provided this newly formed unit with its own military equipment, including armored vehicles and artillery.
Zelenskyy noted that another unnamed brigade will receive similar support, likely referring to one of the brigades from the 160th series, which began forming in August this year.
In a call for collaboration, Zelenskyy invited partners to join in the creation of Scandinavian brigades, emphasizing their commitment to European defense. This aligns with his previous proposal for the “Northern Brigade” project, aimed at training and equipping a Ukrainian battalion with the help of Scandinavian countries.
In September, Zelenskyy highlighted the urgent need for equipping 14 new brigades with Western weaponry, but noted that the pace of supplies has been slow. “We have not yet equipped even four brigades from this package,” he stated.
Earlier, French President Emmanuel Macron showcased the training of the Ukrainian Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv, taking place in the Grand Est region of France.
On October 9, 2024, he shared footage of approximately 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers being instructed by French military personnel, affirming, “I have made this commitment: our military is training 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers with the equipment they will use during their missions.”
The training program covers a wide range of skills, including infantry combat, armored warfare with AMX-10 RC, engineering operations, air defense with Mistral missiles, and anti-tank combat using Milan missiles. As of September 15, 2024, nearly 15,000 Ukrainian military personnel have been trained through this initiative, which also extends to Poland, where around 100 French military personnel are involved in the EUMAM mission.
Additionally, since March, France has been training Ukrainian pilots on Alphajet aircraft, which is a precursor to transitioning to F-16 or Mirage M2000-5 fighter jets.
