CLAIM: France sent troops to fight in the Russia-Ukraine war. AP’S ASSESSMENT: False. The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement on X that France has not deployed troops to Ukraine, calling the claim “disinformation.” Reports of the deployment cited a May 3 blog post by Stephen Bryen, a deputy undersecretary for the Department of Defense during the Reagan administration. THE FACTS: Social media users are pointing to the blog post as proof that French troops have been sent to fight Russia alongside Ukraine as the war continues in its third year. “France has sent its first troops officially to Ukraine,” the blog post reads. “They have been deployed in support of the Ukrainian 54th Independent Mechanized Brigade in Slavyansk. The French soldiers are drawn from France’s 3rd Infantry Regiment, which is one of the main elements of France’s Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère).” |
Car dealership to cut 250 jobs and close 16 sites just months after being taken over by a US firmCatch the slingshotMore than 1 in 4 US adults over age 50 say they expect to never retire, an AARP study findsDelhi survives Rashid's onslaught to beat Gujarat by 4 runs in IPLPrince Louis wore Prince George's £25 handTrump factor loomed large as GOP leaders pushed through Ukraine aidGerman leader says Europe must keep increasing aid to Ukraine after US approves new military helpTrump factor loomed large as GOP leaders pushed through Ukraine aidBlinken begins key China visit as tensions rise over new US foreign aid billMicrosoft and Amazon face scrutiny from UK competition watchdog over recent AI deals