Ukrainian Troops March in Paris for the First Time, Ukrainian Pilots Fly Mirage Fighters During Bastille Day Parade
Ukrainian troops marched through Paris as Ukrainian and French pilots flew Mirage 2000B fighter jets together.
The event was reported by French media.
France marks its national holiday on July 14, commemorating the Storming of the Bastille in 1789, a pivotal event that fueled the French Revolution and led to the fall of the monarchy.
French President Emmanuel Macron said it was a great honor to welcome all partners of the Coalition of the Willing and “our Ukrainian friends, who will march alongside us, demonstrating Europe’s strategic awakening and our unity.”
More than 300 military vehicles and over 6,000 service members took part in the parade along the Champs-Élysées, with troops from dozens of allied nations participating.
The Ukrainian military contingent marched near the end of the parade in formation alongside their European allies.
The air display opened with the Patrouille de France, the French Air and Space Force’s national aerobatic team and the world’s oldest active display team, founded in 1931.
Ukrainian pilots trained in France accompanied the formation, flying two Mirage 2000B fighter jets in joint crews alongside their French counterparts.
They were followed by aircraft from France and allied nations, including an AWACS airborne early warning and control aircraft.
The aerial display also featured aircraft from Germany, the United Kingdom, Croatia, Poland, Denmark, Greece, Sweden, Norway, Spain, and Italy.
The parade was attended by French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as well as heads of state and government from partner countries.
One of the largest Bastille Day parades in recent years, the event underscored the unity of European nations in the face of today’s security challenges.
As previously reported by ArmyInform, during his visit to France, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is completing the development of its own anti-ballistic missile for the FREYJA missile defense system.