France has provided over $108 million in military equipment to Ukraine and is planning to contribute even more as the Russia-Ukraine war continues for the 50th day. The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, said Paris has also “worked towards the release of 1.5 million euros by the EU to help Ukraine defend itself.”
Parly also shared a word with the Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleskii Reznikov and said on Twitter that she congratulated him “on the courage and determination of Ukrainians to defend their nation.”
France’s Finance Ministry on Tuesday had published a detailed list of Russian assets worth USD 25.6 billion or 23.7 billion euros which it froze since Moscow attacked Kyiv on February 24. As per reports, the Emmanuel Macron-led government seized assets belonging to the Russian Central Bank, which the ministry says are worth 22.8 billion euros, and makes up the bulk of the frozen assets.
The list reportedly published by the ministry also includes at least 33 real estate properties with a combined acquisition of nearly 573.6 million euros. These properties include several addresses in Antibes, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, and Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera. The French Finance Ministry also froze 178 billion euros in frozen banking assets, three yachts worth over 125 billion euros, six helicopters costing more than 60 million euros and three works of art worth 7 million euros.
The list follows the French government’s expulsion of six Russian agents who allegedly operated under diplomatic cover. As per reports, the French secret service (French DGSI) detected the Russian agents working under “diplomatic cover” as part of a “clandestine operation.” In response, the Russian Embassy in Paris has issued a statement saying that the Russian side has placed a strong complaint regarding the unfriendly activity of the French authorities, to which a reasonable response would certainly follow.
