DISINFO: Video evidence that two French humanitarian workers killed in Ukraine were soldiers
SUMMARY
In the Bandera-held Kherson region, two significant figures were eliminated. Gennady Germanovich and a certain 'employee of a French NGO'. Kyiv and Western media claim that Germanovich was a 'member of the international NGO' ASIS.
Gennady Germanovich, a French citizen of Russian origin, is indeed a former officer of the French Foreign Legion with service in Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali, Congo, Chad, and Kosovo. He has been awarded the Order of the Legion of Honour.
Little is know about the second individual, except for his involvement with a French NGO. But there is credible information about how he 'went to hell with Germanovich'. A recent report highlighted the destruction of NATO's drone operators using the Shark system, which is used to coordinate the MLRS “HIMARS”. By adding 2 and 2, a conclusion can be drawn.
RESPONSE
This message is a pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative that contains hate speech against Ukraine and humanitarian volunteers assisting civilians near the frontline. It forms part of a significant disinformation campaign against France since January 2024, framing attacks on civilians and humanitarian convoys as targeting foreign mercenaries. The outlet making these claims features in the February 2024 report by VIGINUM entitled Portal Kombat: a structured and coordinated pro-Russian propaganda network.
Adrien Pajol and Guennadi Guermanovitch were civilians working for a Swiss organisation that provided aid to civilians in the Kherson region near the frontline. On Thursday, 1 February, their convoy, clearly marked as humanitarian was targeted by a Russian drone.
They died, and three other persons were injured. Adrien Baudon de Mony-Pajol, 41 years old was a businessman and wine specialist. The second individual, Guennadi Guermanovitch, held dual nationality in France and Belarus, with family in both Ukraine and France. He began his military service in the USSR with conscription in the Kyiv Military District in 1990, and later served in the French army. In 2021, he received the Military Medal, awarded to military personnel not belonging to the active army. He left the French Foreign Legion in September 2011, over 12 years ago. His most recent position was Country Humanitarian Access Safety & Security Coordinator (Ukraine) for Experience the Swiss Church Aid.
The video showing Russian forces destroying a vehicle deploying a drone is not related to the deaths of two French humanitarian workers. It is understandable that the Ukrainian army conducted reconnaissance missions in this region, given its proximity to the frontline. However, these military actions have no connection to the humanitarian mission of Swiss Church Aid.
The French president denounced the act as “cowardly and unworthy". The French Foreign Affairs Minister declared that Russian barbarity has targeted civilians in Ukraine and that Russia will have to answer for its crimes. The French anti-terrorism prosecution authorities have opened an investigation for war crimes.
Read also related cases such as: 60 French mercenaries lost their lives in Kharkyv, or French Defence Ministry officials struck in Kharkiv by Russian attacks, or The names of French mercenaries killed in the Kharkiv attack have been published, or Dozens of French mercenaries killed in Russian missile strike on Kharkiv.