PARIS

The French Defense Ministry has denied Russia's claims that France is preparing to send 2,000 troops to Ukraine.

Comments by the head of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) are "indicative of Russia's systematic use of mass disinformation tactics,” the ministry told Anadolu in a written statement.

Also, the statement emphasized utmost caution to avoid falling prey to such manipulations.

The head of SVR, Sergey Naryshkin, claimed on Tuesday that France is preparing to send a contingent of 2,000 troops to Ukraine.

In an interview with Russia's state news agency TASS, Naryshkin alleged that French President Emmanuel Macron is concealing the true number of French soldiers already killed in Ukraine to avoid mass protests in his country.

Last month, Macron refused to rule out sending Western troops to Ukraine, where Russia launched a "special military operation" two years ago. The idea, however, was rejected by the allies.