According to the Russian Defense Ministry, on 17 January 2024, Russian armed forces launched an attack with high-precision weapons on a military facility in Kharkiv/Kharkov, the former capital of the Ukraine Soviet Socialist Republic during the interwar period.

The building where “foreign mercenaries”, mostly French, were stationed was completely destroyed. Around sixty bodies were found, while 20 people had to be hospitalized.

The ministry added that around 2,000 “foreign mercenaries” still remain in Ukraine.

According to Ukrainian regional police chief Vladimir Tymoshko, the building was not a military target, but exclusively civilian. “This is genocide,” he said.

As for French President Emmanuel Macron, he spouted that Paris cannot “allow Russia to win” in Ukraine. He pledged to send to Kyev 40 SCALP cruise missiles plus “hundreds of bombs”.

On 18 August 2023, former French chief of staff Jean-Louis Georgelin died while hiking in the Pyrénées. A national funeral was held for him. However, his coffin was kept sealed and his body could not be seen. It is highly likely that he died instead in a bombing in Ukraine.