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What did 7 June 2024 follow in Ukraine's war?
Summary
A look back at the days before 7 June 2024, when French jets, Russian threats and cross-border strike rules shaped the security picture.
What was the security picture in Ukraine's war on 7 June 2024? It had been shaped by a week of Western military commitments and sharp Russian warnings, as reported in the preceding days.
On 1 June, Russia launched missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, injuring at least four people and damaging critical infrastructure, including energy facilities. Ukraine said it shot down 35 of 53 missiles and 46 of 47 drones.
On 2 June, Russia accused NATO and the United States of provoking a new level of tension. The accusation followed the agreement of some allies to let Ukraine's military use Western-supplied weapons to strike targets inside Russia.
Warnings over French instructors
On 4 June, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov warned that French military instructors would be "legitimate targets" if they were deployed to Ukraine. The warning added to the exchange between Moscow and Western capitals over the scope of foreign military support.
French jets announced
On 6 June, President of France Emmanuel Macron announced that France would send Dassault Mirage 2000-5 fighter aircraft to Ukraine. He said France would also train Ukrainian pilots, with both steps due by the end of 2024.
Taken together, the reports from 1 to 6 June showed three strands running into 7 June 2024: continued Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure, an expanded debate about how Western weapons could be used, and a new French pledge of aircraft and training. Russia's public response, through the accusation of 2 June and Lavrov's warning of 4 June, framed these steps as escalation.
