Since the start of the war, the French military has provided Ukrainians with various training courses, mainly focusing on artillery and ground combat. Recently, a course in international humanitarian law, also known as the rules of war, completed its test phase and is now set for expansion.

So far, only one such session has taken place at the La Courtine camp in La Creuse in central France in December 2023. Much of the training given to Ukrainians by the French army is centralized here, along with another center in Poland. Kyiv was satisfied with the first training, and a new session is due to take place in March at a different location in France.

"This training was in response to a request from the Ukrainians made in the summer of 2023 as part of the European Union's military assistance mission," explained Chief Superintendent First Class Christophe David, Chief of the l’Etat-Major Opérationnel du Service du Commissariat des Armées ("Armed Forces Commissariat Service's Operational Staff"). "We quickly positioned ourselves to respond," he added as the Armed Forces Commissariat Service has access to the armies' legal advisers for operations, who are known as "legads" (around 350 people within the armed forces).

During the December 2023 session, some 30 Ukrainians were trained: 15 non-commissioned officers and 14 officers, including nine senior officers (three colonels, two lieutenants and four commanders). Some of them, mainly from the ranks of the Ukrainian Army, were destined to become future legads, while others had had experience on the front and were preparing to join the ranks of recruiters. Only a third of these Ukrainians had any previous awareness of international humanitarian law.

Spread over four days, the training provided by the French legads focused on the main principles governing the conduct of hostilities in international armed conflicts. These rules require distinguishing between civilians and combatants during a strike, limiting collateral damage and prohibiting the targeting of wounded individuals. These are principles derived from the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, signed by most of the world's countries.

"The aim was not to moralize, but to set red lines, yellow lines, and remind people of the main rules. The Ukrainians are aware that respect for international humanitarian law is one of the conditions for Western support," Commissioner David said from the outset. "It's partly for this reason, for example, that Kyiv refrains from targeting civilian installations in Crimea. Those we trained in December find it regrettable that their adversary [Russia] does not seek to respect the rules of war more," he added.

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