Eight gendarmes from the National Gendarmerie Intervention Group (GIGN) arrived Wednesday evening at the French Embassy in Kiev, announced the French Ambassador to Ukraine, Etienne de Poncins.
These gendarmes of the elite unit are there to reinforce the team of five members of the GIGN permanently present on the spot, and whose missions are in particular to ensure the protection of the embassy and the diplomatic personnel.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian forces were approaching Kyiv from the northeast and east on Friday.
Two strong explosions sounded at dawn on Friday in the center of the capital.
Spain announced that it had evacuated its ambassador and diplomatic staff from Kiev on Friday morning, as well as a hundred Spanish nationals who remained in Ukraine.
Earlier in the morning, Jean Yves Le Drian had tried to reassure the French still present in Kiev.
“For the moment, we tell the French community to stay confined to their homes.
Instructions to the French in #Ukraine.
Stay safe no matter where you live.
Embassy crisis unit is open.
Can be reached at +380 44 590 36 39. pic.twitter.com/BCdMNbpGmD
— Etienne de Poncins (@EdePoncins) February 24, 2022
As soon as there is a possibility of leaving, we have organized a device to do so, ”explained the Minister of Foreign Affairs on France Inter.
