JUntil now, Paris had been careful not to specify the types of armaments delivered to kyiv, conceding just mid-April “100 million euros in equipment donations already made” and announcing the supply of “complementary military capabilities”.
“We deliver (…) substantial equipment, from Milan to Caesar through several types of armaments”, said Emmanuel Macron to the daily, who asked him regarding the supply of heavy weapons by Europe to Ukraine. “I think we have to continue on this path. With always a red line which is not to enter into co-belligerence”he added.
Asked by AFP, the Élysée did not specify the number of Milan missiles and Caesar guns delivered, so as not to “not give operational information” which might be used by the Russian army.
The Milan Missiles “have already been given”according to this source. The worldwhich revealed the information on March 9, referred to “a few dozen weapons” taken from French army stocks.
The routing of the Caesars is him “in progress, they will be delivered in the next few days” as well as “thousands of shells”according to the Elysee.
About forty Ukrainian soldiers must also be trained in France in their handling from Saturday, added the presidency without further details.
Similar guns already exported to Morocco
The French Army has 76 Caesars. This truck-mounted 155mm gun with a range of 40 kilometers has also been exported to Saudi Arabia, Denmark, Indonesia, Morocco, the Czech Republic and Thailand.
Several NATO countries have already given the green light to deliveries of heavy weapons, such as the United States, Great Britain, the Czech Republic or the Netherlands.
On Thursday, the United States announced additional US aid to Ukraine of $800 million, including 72 Howitzer howitzers and their vehicles as well as 144,000 shells.
“It’s important, because of the nature of the fighting we anticipate in Donbass, because of the terrain, because it’s open, because it’s flat, because it’s not as urbanized”Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. “We think it will be a force multiplier” for Ukrainians.
Germany has pledged to help the Eastern European allies supplying kyiv with Soviet-made weapons, also used by the Ukrainian army, by replacing the equipment they will provide.
