War in Ukraine: long-term military aid for kyiv, combat training for young Russians… update on the situation

Le point sur la situation. MAXPPP – Mykola Miakshykov/Avalon

Every day, Midi Libre takes stock of the situation in Ukraine. This Wednesday, April 3, 2024, discover the latest news around this conflict.

NATO agrees to long-term aid to Kyiv

NATO members agreed this Wednesday, April 3, 2024 to prepare a long-term military aid package for Ukraine, without, however, ending the process. #39;commit to setting up a fund of 100 billion euros over five years, as proposed by the Secretary General of the Alliance, some having noted the difficulty of such a project .

Jens Stoltenberg's proposal, formulated ahead of the meeting in Brussels of foreign ministers from NATO member countries, also plans to give the Alliance a more direct role in coordinating deliveries. of weapons, ammunition and equipment in Kyiv, whose war against Russia has entered its third year.

As part of this project, NATO would take over part of the prerogatives of an ad hoc coalition led by the United States – the Defense Contact Group. Ukraine, known as “Ramstein format”, in reference to the American military base in Germany where discussions took place. This approach aims to guard against a possible change in Washington's position in the event of Donald Trump's return to the White House, diplomats indicated.

"We need to review the dynamics of our support", Jens Stoltenberg told the press. "We must guarantee reliable and predictable security assistance to Ukraine over the long term (…). Promises over several years, rather than short-term offers". He indicated that he aimed for a decision to be ratified at the next NATO summit, scheduled for July 9 to 11, in Washington. Any decision requires consensus among the 32 members of the Alliance, joined earlier this year by Sweden.

While Ukraine also wishes to join the Alliance, its members say they are in favor of this idea but only once the war with Russia is over.
Moscow has criticized NATO, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this week, of having returned to a Cold War state of mind.

Sébastien Lecornu condemns the attack on Moscow and the war in Ukraine during an interview with Sergei Choïgu

The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu, spoke this Wednesday, April 3 with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Choïgu, with whom he recalled the "firm condemnation" by France for the attack that occurred last month in Moscow but also condemned "without reservation" the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.

This telephone interview took place in a context of tense relations between Paris and Moscow, while French President Emmanuel Macron said in February that he would not rule out sending ground troops to Ukraine to help it face the crisis. ;#39;Russian invasion, provoking criticism from his counterpart Vladimir Putin, unsurprisingly re-elected last month as Russian president.

Direct high-level exchanges between France and Russia have been rare since Emmanuel Macron traveled to Moscow to meet Vladimir Putin in the hope to calm tensions with Ukraine, in February 2022, around two weeks before the Kremlin launched what it presented as a “special military operation”, denounced by Kyiv and its Western allies as an invasion. Sébastien Lecornu last spoke with Sergueï Choïgou in October 2022.

Paris "will continue to support Ukraine as long and as intensively as necessary in its struggle for freedom and sovereignty, in order to bring peace and security to the European continent" , reminded the French minister of his Russian counterpart, according to a press release released by his services.

Sébastien Lecornu also "recalled our firm condemnation and France's solidarity with the victims" of the attack claimed by the Islamic State (IS) group which occurred on March 22 in a concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, which left more than 140 dead. "He confirmed that France had no information enabling a link to be established between this attack and Ukraine“, indicated the Ministry of the Armed Forces, while Russia pointed the finger at Ukraine in the wake of the attack.

How Russia prepares its future soldiers from middle and high school ?

War from a very young age. Vladimir Putin is aware of this, the conflict with Ukraine could last, and for this, the master of the Kremlin is anticipating. From the start of the school year in September 2024, young Russian students in secondary education establishments will have courses focused on practice and military spirit, according to independent Russian media Holod, taken by Meduza.

Education in Vladimir Putin's country has evolved significantly since the start of the war in Ukraine, and this is not going to stop. From the next school year, the "fundamental principles of human security" will be replaced by "fundamental principles of internal security and defense", according to amendments to the federal law on education registered with the Ministry of Justice at the end of February 2024, indicates the magazine Geo.

The courses will focus on learning the tactical and technical characteristics of the infamous Kalashnikov, the Dragunov rifle, but also the handling of grenade launchers RPG-7 and different types of grenades. Students will cover a complete program, since’in addition to weapons, "the essence and importance of military discipline" and "the essence of unified command", will be instilled in them.

The Russian education system is different from that known in France but these war preparation courses are done, on a voluntary basis, from the fifth year of study, which is worth the effort. rsquo;entrance to college in France. This type of teaching then becomes compulsory from the eighth year, the end of middle school in France, then arriving in the ninth year, Russian students must know how to master all the concepts learned.

The program continues during the following years (which is equivalent to high school) with the learning of combined arms combat or the use of more modern firearms such as the MP-443 Grach pistol and the AK-12 assault rifle, details the magazineGéo.

Since 2022, Russia has reviewed its entire educational program, which focuses much more on the military aspect. In 2023, for the first time since the Soviet era, tenth grade students were able to follow training courses such as piloting drones, but also the study of technology"information warfare and psychological warfare" in addition to the design of weapons mentioned previously.