France sends combat troops to Ukraine battlefront - Asia Times
asiatimes.com
France has sent its first troops officially to Ukraine. They have been deployed in support of the Ukrainian 54th Independent Mechanized Brigade in
  • Tunnelvision [they/them]
    ·
    5 months ago

    French foreign legion does not mean they are mercenaries, they are French troops under contract as professional soldiers who fight for the chance of French citizenship who take orders directly from the French president. This is how they’ve operated for well over a century. The reason they’re called the foreign legion is because anyone can join regardless of birth nation, but they mainly pull from Europe, America, and French colonies. They are not to be confused with the Ukrainian foreign legion who operate as mercenaries.

    • ashinadash [she/her]
      ·
      5 months ago

      under contract as professional soldiers who fight for the chance of French citizenship who take orders directly from the French president.

      mfw Service Guarantees Citizenship!!! im-doing-my-part

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      5 months ago

      They are 100% mercenaries. Foreign nationals fighting for pay under the flag of another country. They're mercenary scum and they've always been mercenary scum. Dangling French citizenship in front of them is the same as cash or conflict diamonds.

      • Tunnelvision [they/them]
        ·
        5 months ago

        They are not mercenaries and it’s very important to understand WHY they are not mercenaries. You harm a legionary you harm a citizen of France, as they gain immediate citizenship when wounded in combat.

        • Frank [he/him, he/him]
          ·
          5 months ago

          I stand corrected, then. I understand now that as a matter of international law they are not considered mercenaries.

          https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/icruftm/icruftm.html