France says Russia targeting it in information war over Ukraine

French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said on Wednesday that Russia has designated France as a secondary target in an ongoing "information war" waged alongside its military campaign in Ukraine, attributing the pressure to Paris's steadfast support for Kyiv.

Information warfare

Speaking to Radio Classique, Confavreux stated that Moscow is attacking "Ukraine first and France second" in the information domain, linking the pressure to French diplomatic backing of Kyiv. He noted that Europe faces simultaneous challenges from multiple directions, citing the bloc's economic and social indicators — including lower poverty rates and higher life expectancy — as factors that contribute to its global attractiveness and subsequent vulnerability to foreign influence operations.

European pressure

Confavreux characterized the continent as "under attack" from both east and west, attributing this pressure partly to the EU's international appeal. France serves as a secondary target for Moscow specifically because of its support for Kyiv, he added, saying that such targeting stems from Russia's opposition to European backing of Ukraine.

Conflict context

The remarks come as the war between Russia and Ukraine continues into its third year since Moscow's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Thousands of civilians have been killed in the conflict, which has prompted sustained Western military and financial support for Ukraine's defense efforts.