No, two French soldiers have not been killed in a Russian attack in Ukraine
Pro-Russian accounts are claiming that Sergeant Bin Chen and Corporal Axel Delplanque "vanished" in Odesa, Ukraine, during an underwater mission. While it is true that these two French service members recently lost their lives, the circumstances of their deaths have no connection to any Russian attack.
Issued on: 13/05/2026 - 18:47
2 min Reading time Share By: The FRANCE 24 Observers / Nora LITOUSSI
Pro-Russian social media accounts have been claiming that “two elite French Foreign Legion sappers”, Sergeant Bin Chen and Corporal Axel Delplanque, have “vanished” during an underwater mission in Odesa, Ukraine, following a Russian strike. The claim is accompanied by a photo of the two servicemen.
The account behind the post, Ghost Hawk, was created in April 2026 and exclusively shares pro-Russian content. The posts it amplifies originate from other recently created pro-Russian accounts, such as Strürmer, Dr.Pepper, and France Libre Média.
An official statement from the French ministry of the armed forces
A quick search for the names of the two service members immediately returns an official statement from the French ministry of the armed forces. The release announces the deaths of Sergeant Bin Chen and Corporal Axel Delplanque during a "combat engineer diving training" in Angers, on the night of May 5, 2026.
The public prosecutor's office in Rennes, western France, has opened an investigation that is currently underway to determine the exact circumstances of the tragedy.
The ministry also clarifies that only Sergeant Bin Chen was a member of the Foreign Legion, contradicting claims made on X. Corporal Axel Delplanque had spent the majority of his career with the 13th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins (Alpine Hunters).
Public tributes paid to fallen soldiers
When contacted by our team, the ministry of the armed forces confirmed the deaths and said that France "has no troops deployed in Ukraine".
The passing of the two servicemen was first announced publicly by the ministry, followed by tributes on social media from General Pierre Schill, chief of staff of the French Army, and the 13th Battalion of Chasseurs Alpins. A formal tribute was also held in their honour at the National Assembly on May 5.
Since the start of 2026, five French service members have lost their lives in the line of duty. In late April, Staff Sergeant Florian Montorio and Corporal Anicet Girardin died during an operational mission in Lebanon. Their deaths were confirmed in official statements released by the ministry of the armed forces.
This article has been translated from the original in French.
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