A group of soldiers from another country were secretly doing missions against Russia in the Ukrainian war. Their Canadian leader was killed in action. A person who studies wars in the former Soviet Union said this.
Jean-François Ratelle, also known as Hrulf, was in charge of the Norman Brigade. He was one of two Canadians who died while fighting for Ukraine in the last month.
A university professor in Ottawa, named Jean-François Ratelle, said that the Norman Brigade seems to have changed its job from defending to doing other things away from the fighting. Ratelle, who researches people who fight in other countries, is not related to the soldier with the same name who passed away.
“According to Ratelle, the Norman Brigade’s job in the war is shifting. They are doing more secret missions behind enemy lines and less traditional combat in cities. ”
“It seems like they became helpful for the Ukrainian military intelligence. ”
Global Affairs Canada knows that two Canadians have died while fighting in Ukraine. This brings the total number of Canadians killed to 11 since Russia invaded in February 2022.
Alain Derasp, 49, from Quebec, died in Ukraine on Feb. At 27 years old, he was a soldier in the Canadian Army and a dad to four kids, said a notice about his death.
Derasp was teaching soldiers in Ukraine how to help others who are hurt. He got sick near the fighting and died. A person from the military told this but didn’t want their name known.
Luc Fortier, who was in the same regiment as Derasp, said that Derasp was always happy and very committed to his job.
The infantry is like a family, according to Fortier. He said it hurts a lot for the soldiers who knew Derasp to lose him so suddenly.
Derasp was born in Campbellton, N. Band joined the Canadian Forces in 1992. He worked for 26 years, helping keep peace in the United Nations and NATO missions in Yugoslavia and Afghanistan.
Derasp was a warrant officer when he retired. He lived in Chicoutimi, Quebec.
Ratelle, who was from Joliette, Quebec, was killed in a fight, said a friend from Ukraine, Anna Filippova. In a letter, Filippova said she saw him not long after he got to Ukraine in March 2022.
“He was a strong fighter, a very strong and unshakable leader and fighter,” she said. “He was brave and driven, with strong beliefs, and he didn’t let anything stop him from reaching his goal. ”
The National Defence Department said they have records of a person named Jean-François Ratelle who was an artilleryman for three years. A friend told me he joined the French Foreign Legion later on. In pictures on social media after he died, he was wearing the uniform of the famous French military group. The French army did not give a comment when asked.
Chris Ecklund, a business owner and kind person from Hamilton, has helped Canadians go to Ukraine to fight and has talked to Ratelle. He said Ratelle is a committed soldier.
“He was answering the call like many other people from Canada and around the world,” Ecklund said in an interview. “He supported the cause and was just trying to lend a hand. ”
Professor Ratelle mentioned that foreign fighters have been involved in the conflict, but mostly in supporting roles. They have taken part in big battles, but they are mostly used for holding the front lines, conducting raids across borders, and acting as distractions before Ukrainian troops launch their attacks.
The Norman Brigade was started at the beginning of the war. Some people left because they couldn’t agree on what the unit should do. He said that the unit used social media to raise money online, but then became more secretive after a few months of the war. Russian propaganda said that there are far-right people in the unit, but Ratelle said he hasn’t seen evidence of that.
The Russian government first reported the deaths of the two Canadians on social media. They shared photos and personal information about the men. On X platform, which used to be called Twitter, the Russian embassy in South Africa said that both men were “mercenaries” and that Ratelle was killed by a drone attack.