Russia's government on Friday criticized France's President Emmanuel Macron for once again suggesting his country would be open to sending troops to Ukraine in order to help defend against Russia's ongoing invasion, if Kyiv were to make such a request.
During an interview with The Economist magazine published on Thursday, Macron stated that his country would need to consider the possibility if the situation arose and if Russian forces were able to breach Ukraine's front-line defenses along the extensive eastern front.
''I'm not excluding any options, because we are dealing with someone who is also not excluding any options,'' he remarked to The Economist, in reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Macron added, "If the Russians manage to break through the front lines, and if there is a request from Ukraine — which is not the case at present — we would have to legitimately ponder the idea" of sending troops, as reported by the magazine.
Russia deems French and U.K. rhetoric "very dangerous"
"The statement is extremely significant and perilous," commented Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Friday in Moscow, accusing Macron of consistently bringing up the possibility of "direct engagement on the ground in the conflict surrounding Ukraine."
"This is an exceedingly risky trend," Peskov emphasized.
Following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Putin's government justified its actions as self-defense against the U.S.-led NATO alliance pushing its control to Russia's western border. The backlash from northern European nations, however, has brought NATO territory closer to Russia than ever before.
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Macron faced criticism from Russia and NATO allies when he mentioned the possibility of a French deployment to Ukraine earlier this year. While the Biden administration remains firm that all NATO territory will be defended, they have ruled out any U.S. combat deployment to Ukraine.
"If Russia succeeds in Ukraine, security in Europe will be compromised. Who can guarantee that Russia will stop there?" Macron stated in a recent interview.
Peskov criticized remarks made by Britain's Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who recently met with Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy, for justifying Kyiv's strikes on targets within Russia as "dangerous" and "escalatory" Western rhetoric.
During his visit to Kyiv, Cameron expressed support for Ukraine's right to retaliate against Russia and clarified that the UK does not dictate how Ukraine should use the weapons supplied by Britain. In recent months, Ukraine has conducted several strikes, primarily targeting energy infrastructure, within Russian territory.
Updates from the Front Lines of the Ukraine Conflict
Recent statements made by Macron and Cameron have raised concerns about European security, according to Peskov. He emphasized that these remarks could potentially jeopardize the entire European security architecture due to what he described as a dangerous trend towards escalation in official declarations.
Meanwhile, in eastern Ukraine, the situation on the front line is deteriorating. Despite facing a strong offensive from Russia's well-equipped forces, local defenders are managing to hold their ground, as reported by a senior Ukrainian military official on Thursday.
Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for Ukrainian strategic command in the east, revealed that Russia has concentrated troops in the Donetsk region with the aim of breaking through the Ukrainian defensive line. He highlighted that the enemy is launching active attacks across the entire front line, resulting in tactical advancements in some areas and creating a rapidly changing situation.
With Ukraine struggling with troop and ammunition shortages, Russia has gained an advantage on the battlefield, pushing Kyiv into a defensive position. Ukrainian forces are now working against the clock to construct additional defensive structures at various points along the approximately 600-mile front line that spans from the northern to southern borders of Ukraine, encompassing much of the eastern Donbas industrial region currently under Russian control.
Ukraine's struggles have been worsening for months as the military awaits crucial new military assistance from the United States. The aid was delayed by political issues in Washington for half a year, but a substantial aid package was finally approved by legislators and endorsed by President Biden at the end of last month. However, the timeline for when the much-needed U.S. equipment provided by that aid package will reach Ukraine's front-line soldiers remains uncertain.
Ukrainian troops retreated from Avdiivka, a city in the Donetsk region, in February after facing a relentless Russian assault that had drained their combat capabilities and morale. Subsequently, the Kremlin's forces have utilized their military power to capture village after village in the region, overpowering them, as they aim to seize the areas of Donetsk they do not already control.
During a statement on Friday, Russia's Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu declared that his forces were penetrating "enemy strongholds along the entire line of combat contact."
"Units of the Ukrainian Armed Forces are attempting to hold onto specific positions, but under our offensive, they are being compelled to abandon their posts and retreat," Shoigu claimed, stating that his troops had captured an additional 211 square miles of territory since the start of the year alone.
Cities targeted by Russia, such as the recent focus on Chasiv Yar in eastern Ukraine, are devastated by Moscow's missiles, drones, and precision bombs. CBS News' Charlie D'Agata was in Chasiv Yar in late February as explosions echoed continuously, discovering a city destroyed by artillery fire — and fatigued Ukrainian soldiers desperately seeking assistance from their international allies.
The conflict in the Donbas region, comprising the Donetsk and Luhansk provinces, has been a focal point since 2014. This expansive industrial area bordering Russia has been the battleground for Moscow-backed separatists.
Continued Strikes by Missiles and Drones
Long-range strikes have become a devastating norm in Europe's largest conflict since World War II. Despite Kyiv's pleas for more air defense systems from Western allies, the support has been slow to materialize.
President Zelenskyy revealed that in April alone, Russia launched over 300 missiles, nearly 300 Shahed drones, and more than 3,200 guided aerial bombs at Ukraine. Odesa, a crucial export hub for Ukrainian grain shipments via the Black Sea, has faced repeated attacks.
As a response, Ukraine has escalated its use of sophisticated long-range drones to target Russian territory, particularly focusing on energy infrastructure that supports the Russian economy and military operations.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that Ukrainian drones were shot down in various regions including Bryansk, Krasnodar, Rostov, and Belgorod. The majority of interceptions occurred in Bryansk, where five drones were downed.
