General Chief Eric Vidaud, who has led the Direction of Military Intelligence (DRM) since only last summer. Is to immediately step down from his post, a military source, who asked not to be named, told AFP.
France’s military intelligence chief is leaving his post after Paris failed to accurately predict in contrast to other Western allies. That Russia would launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, several sources with knowledge of his exit said.
General Eric Vidaud, who has led the Direction of Military Intelligence (DRM) since only last summer, is to immediately step down from his post, a military source, who asked not to be named, told AFP.
Another source told AFP that there had been rumours within the army. Concerning the departure of the general in recent days. It’s possible that another post could have been offered to him, though in the end this was not the case.
In the months before the invasion of Ukraine by Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 24. France’s assessments had contrasted with the gloomy predictions by allies including the US and Britain who warned a major military assault was imminent.
American’s were right: Chief
Eric Vidaud had led the military intelligence agency for seven months. But sources told the L’Opinion newspaper and other media that the army had judged his briefings “insufficient” and he lacked “mastery of the subjects.”
The chief of staff of France’s armed forces. Thierry Burkhard, had told Le Monde this month that French intelligence had. Unlike their US counterpart, failed to predict Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The Americans said the Russians were going to attack, they were right. Our services rather thought that invading Ukraine would have a monstrous cost and that the Russians had other options. Burkhard told Le Monde.
That he would have to leave his post in the summer because of the misses over Ukraine and that he decided to step down immediately.