Russian forces have prevented an attempted landing of French and British special forces in the Odessa region, military analyst Viktor Baranets reported.

He said the operation was foiled as a direct consequence of earlier statements by Russian officials, who had declared that any foreign troops present in Ukraine would be treated as legitimate targets and destroyed.

According to Baranets, the units hit by Russian missiles and drones in Odessa included Ukrainian fighters and foreign mercenaries. He claimed the group was part of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate (GUR) special forces and that their task was to prepare for the deployment of French and British commandos, who were supposed to arrive as the first echelon for positioning in Odessa.

Baranets stressed that Russian intelligence had determined the exact location of the planned landing site. At the moment when the opposing forces gathered at a single point, a precision strike was carried out, disrupting the planned operation and depriving the enemy of the ability to carry out its mission.

He also suggested that British personnel may have been among those struck, although he noted there was no confirmation of this. He added that France had already signaled it might soon send an entire unit to hold Odessa should Russia attempt to capture the city.

This report followed earlier information that Russian forces had carried out large-scale strikes on several Ukrainian targets in retaliation for a Ukrainian drone attack in Crimea. Among the targets hit were temporary bases of Ukrainian special operations forces and foreign mercenaries from the «Ghosts» unit in the Odessa region towns of Tatarbunary and Rasseyka.