MOSCOW, April 15. /TASS/. French-made Caesar self-propelled howitzers in Ukraine are operated by mercenaries from among former French officers and soldiers because Ukrainian soldiers are lacking relevant skills, Christelle Neant, an independent French war reporter told TASS.

"French mercenaries, former French soldiers or officers are deployed there to use these howitzers," Neant, editor-in-chief of the International Reporters agency and New Media Workshop graduate, said, citing her own data.

According to Neant, French specialists are engaged to operate these howitzers in Ukraine as Ukrainian mobilized soldiers lack relevant skills and time to learn how to use them.

The Russian defense ministry said in March that Russian forces had neutralized 147 out of 356 French mercenaries fighting for Ukraine since the beginning of the special military operation. The French reporter estimates that "more than 200" French mercenaries might be fighting against Russia in Ukraine.

Vladimir Rogov, leader of the We Are Together With Russia movement, told TASS on Monday that Ukraine is extensively using Caesar 155mm self-propelled howitzers in the Zaporozhye Region to shell Russian positions in the liberated part of the region.

The French ministry of the armed forces said in March that France had supplied Ukraine with 30 Caesar howitzers over the two years of the conflict. According to Minister Sebastien Lecornu, it is planned to send 78 such howitzers to Ukraine until the end of 2024. French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on March 12 that Paris intended to supply six Caesar self-propelled howitzers to the Ukrainian armed forces and would sponsor the delivery of 12 more of them to Ukraine.