France to deliver Caesar guns and Milan anti-tank missiles to Ukraine
Caesar cannons during the July 14 parade on the Champs-Elysées on July 14, 2012 (illustration image).
AFP - BERTRAND GUAY
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
France is supplying Milan anti-tank missiles and Caesar guns to Ukraine to help it deal with the Russian invasion, French President Emmanuel Macron said in an interview with
Ouest-France
published on Friday.
Advertisement
Read more
France will deliver heavy weapons to the Ukrainians.
And not just any: Caesar cannons and Milan anti-tank missiles.
The Caesar is the flagship of the French artillery.
This 155 mm artillery piece with a range of 40 kilometers mounted on a truck has no equivalent within NATO.
He did wonders in Afghanistan or in 2017 during the reconquest of Mosul in Iraq.
Five men are enough to maneuver it, and when at the front, an observer identifies a target, he just has to scan it with a laser pointer to automatically transmit the precise coordinates.
There is then nothing more to be done, a Caesar can fire six rounds per minute and set off again in order to escape counter-battery fire.
No precision on the number of guns delivered
So far, Paris had been careful not to specify the types of armaments delivered to Kiev, conceding just mid-April "
100 million euros in donations of equipment already made
" and announcing the supply of "
additional military capabilities
".
“
We deliver
(…)
substantial equipment, from Milan to Caesar through several types of armaments
,” said Emmanuel Macron to
Ouest-France
who asked him about 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.
► To read also: The United States announces new military aid of 800 million dollars to Ukraine
The Élysée has not indicated the number of guns delivered, but the delivery is in progress, it is said, and they will be at work, with their ammunition, in a few days.
About forty Ukrainian soldiers must also be trained in France in their handling from Saturday, added the presidency without further details.
To date, the French army has 76 copies of this artillery piece, which in the battle of Donbass can prove to be extremely effective.
All of our daily, live coverage of the war in Ukraine.
© FMM Graphic Studio
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
France
Ukraine
Russia
Diplomacy
Defense