A rare and long speech. Thierry Burkhard, head of personnel from the French armies, directed a press conference this Friday, July 11 in which he wanted to make an “overview of current threats and” conclusions in terms of associated defense and financing efforts. “
The Russian threats, the terrorist risks, the informative war … The Chief of Staff of the Armies mentioned many points, in this speech, which wanted to be “structuring for the future of our armies” and particularly directed Russia.
• Russia, a “sustainable threat”
“Russia is involved in all threats,” said the head of the armies on Friday. According to him, “the Kremlin turned France into one of its priority objectives.”
Thierry Burkhard evokes a “sustainable threat, close and is the most dimensioning.” And if Russia “does not add up to France”, makes France one of its priorities due to its “determination in support of Ukraine,” explains the general.
A threat of taking seriously over Europe. “Russia is a complete army model, until the end of the nails, I don’t see any ability,” he said. Because the Russians “advance masked” and are found everywhere, thanks to the satellite, cybernetic or even submarine media. “Weakening Europe and dismantling NATO is the goal of Vladimir Putin,” insists Thierry Burkhard.
• War of information released by the Kremlin
Even with respect to the Russian threat, General Burkhard spoke of the War of Information Librada by the Kremlin, which is directed directly to “our national cohesion.”
National cohesion “makes our strength but can be a source of weakness,” said the chief of armies. For him, she can “deter” but can also “inhibit our ability to react and our desire to defend himself.”
“No one is fooled when in Bangui (capital of the note of the editor of the Central African Republic), we burn a French flag and take out a Russian flag, there is no coincidence,” takes for example, as well as “the molds arrested in the subject of David Stars.”
It is considered that France is particularly inverted in this area of The fight against the information war: “They have identified that if France has difficulties in this area, there will be a domino effect.”
In addition, the Chief of Staff of the armies conceives that this is a threat “difficult to formally counteract and attribute.”
• “The terrorist threat remains present”
Thierry Burkhard reported that “the terrorist threat remains present” in the national territory and is still widely monitored.
The chief of armies also indicates that internal security forces and intelligence services are more “capable of frustrating the expected attacks instead of having to treat them and manage the consequences.”
“There is a real threat and it is.” He continued, evoking means that he will adapt so much to the threat in substance and form.
To this threat is added “crime and traffic that increases in the volume and level of violence”, which often have “important connections with foreigners.”
• An output of the “difficult to perceive” crisis in the Middle East
With respect to tensions in the near and the Middle East, Thierry Burkhard believes that the situation has taken a turning point since Hamas’ attack against Israel.
According to him, it is “difficult to perceive ways to leave the crisis” in the territory at this stage. Thus he mentioned the French forces present in the Middle East, as in Iraq, but also in Iran, that “practices the terrorism of the State and has hostages.” Finally, the espionage stressed, of which the French are the objective. “We were and we are spied,” said the general.
Source: BFM TV
