By A French military task force code-named “Champagne” is completing an intensive mission to transform several thousand Ukrainian troops into a combat-ready brigade, equipped with French tanks, artillery, and heavy weaponry at a critical phase in the war against Russia.
The “Anne of Kyiv” brigade, named after a Ukrainian princess who became French queen, is concluding more than two months of rigorous training in eastern and southern France. Their deployment comes as Russian forces, reportedly reinforced by up to 12,000 North Korean troops in the Kursk border region, push westward to capture Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region, according to U.S., South Korean, and Ukrainian intelligence assessments.
The brigade’s imminent return to Ukraine coincides with uncertainty over future U.S. support, as presidential candidate Donald Trump’s campaign pledges to end the conflict and suggestions of territorial concessions to Moscow raise questions about long-term Western backing.
French military officials say the new brigade will eventually comprise 4,500 troops, including infantry battalions, engineers, and artillery specialists. The more than 2,000 soldiers training in France, most of whom were recently mobilized with minimal prior experience, are completing final exercises before deployment.
The French military committed approximately 1,500 personnel to the “Champagne” task force, focusing on combined arms warfare and maintenance of French-supplied equipment. The brigade’s arsenal includes 18 AMX 10 light tanks, 18 truck-mounted Caesar artillery pieces, 128 armored troop carriers, and various anti-tank and anti-aircraft missile systems.
During recent exercises at a French military facility, Ukrainian troops demonstrated their newly acquired skills in trench warfare amid drone surveillance, simulated artillery fire, and explosive effects. “They have improved a lot,” said Col. Paul, whose full name was withheld for security reasons. “Now they are able to fight, they are able to maneuver… They are able to use the different specialists and to use the different equipment they will have on the battlefield.”
The Ukrainian military is simultaneously training additional troops for the brigade in Ukraine, according to French authorities, who restricted journalists from interviewing the Ukrainian soldiers during training exercises.
This comprehensive training program represents one of France’s largest military support initiatives for Ukraine, providing not only advanced weaponry but also crucial tactical expertise as the conflict approaches its third year.
apnews
