Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu said it’s a bid to “intimidate” France.
PARIS — Russia directly threatened French planes in the Black Sea recently, French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu said Thursday.
"A month ago, a Russian air traffic control system threatened to shoot down French aircraft in the Black Sea, even though we were in the internationally free zone in which we patrol," he told French radio RTL.
Lecornu’s comments come as the war in Ukraine is about to enter its third year, amid growing pessimism about the conflict's outcome.
European governments, however, insist that Russian President Vladimir Putin still doesn't have the upper hand. Moscow's increasingly agressive stance "is explained by the fact that Russia is in trouble on the battlefield in Ukraine," Lecornu said.
"This is as old as the Cold War, but we're seeing the return of a particularly aggressive Russian stance," he said, adding that Moscow was "playing with the thresholds."
A Russian warship also recently anchored in Baie de Seine in northern France at the edge of territorial waters in a bid to "intimidate" France, Lecornu said.
The French minister is set to fly to Armenia later Thursday — the first such visit by a French armed forces minister and a sign of France's deepening defense ties with Armenia.
Armenia is edging away from its historical relationship with Moscow and Paris is seeking to increase its influence with former Russian allies, including Moldova and Central Asian countries.
Defense companies including MBDA, Nexter, Safran, Thales and Arquus are in the delegation flying to Armenia with Lecornu.
