France to supply 12 additional Caesar guns to Ukraine
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov (L) shakes hands with French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu during a press conference at the Hotel de Brienne, French Ministry of the Armed Forces, in Paris, on 31 January 2023. via REUTERS - POOL
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France will provide Ukraine with 12 additional 155 mm Caesar guns, in addition to the 18 already delivered, as well as anti-aircraft means, French Minister for the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu announced on Tuesday January 31 at a joint press conference. with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiï Reznikov.
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France will provide Ukraine with 12 additional 155 mm Caesar guns, in addition to the parts already delivered, allowing it to have around fifty copies, "
a mass which is by no means negligible
", according to the minister French Army Sébastien Lecornu.
These 12 medium-range guns will be delivered "in the coming weeks" and will be "financed within the framework of the support fund of 200 million euros" set up by France, specified the minister during a conference of joint press with his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksiï Reznikov, who was making his first bilateral visit since the start of the war in February 2022.
They will be added to the 18 Caesars already delivered by France as well as the 19 Caesar guns promised by Denmark in kyiv in mid-January.
Copenhagen had ordered these artillery pieces from the French group Nexter between 2017 and 2019. But deliveries have been delayed and only a few copies have already been delivered.
"
We are now on a mass (of Caesar) which is not negligible
", commented Sébastien Lecornu.
Anti-aircraft means
France also promised on Tuesday to deliver to Ukraine a Ground Master 200 (GM200) radar produced by French Thales.
This medium-range radar makes it possible to detect an enemy aircraft at 250 km and to engage it at 100 km, whether it flies at low speed and low altitude like drones or at high altitude like combat planes.
It also provides protection against rockets and artillery fire by alerting ground troops of enemy fire, assures its manufacturer, who has sold more than 60 copies worldwide.
It is transportable on a truck.
Paris has also "
engaged in discussions with our allies to ensure that we always have a sufficient stock
" of French Crotale surface-to-air missiles for Ukraine, underlined Sébastien Lecornu.
The Crotale has been supplied to some fifteen countries, including Greece, Finland and South Korea.
“
This material helps us get closer to the day of our victory.
The Rattlesnakes destroy 100% of the targets so it is very important to close the Ukrainian skies
”, commented the Ukrainian Minister of Defense.
Finally, the French Minister for the Armed Forces announced the dispatch of 150 French soldiers to Poland to train Ukrainian soldiers.
What about the fighter planes requested by kyiv?
On the chapter of combat aircraft, demanded by kyiv from its Western allies, the Ukrainian minister did not make a specific request to France.
"
We didn't talk about the type of plane
", like the French Mirage, he underlined.
"
We just emphasized that tactical aviation is a component of anti-aircraft defence
" and "
we need to strengthen our capabilities to defend our airspace
", he added.
“
I am optimistic
” about eventually obtaining Western fighter jets and “
I hope it will be sooner possible
”, he concluded, as
President Joe Biden put a veto on Monday on the delivery of American F-16s
.
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To read also Macron and Rutte show their support for Kiev, but remain cautious on aircraft deliveries
Press conference by @SebLecornu 🇫🇷, Minister of the Armed Forces and his Ukrainian counterpart @oleksiireznikov 🇺🇦⤵️ https://t.co/zPivObufFe
– Ministry of the Armed Forces 🇫🇷 (@Armees_Gouv) January 31, 2023
(
With AFP
)
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