Troops loyal to Kiev have been making gains against anti-government forces in eastern Ukraine over the past few weeks. A group of French nationals have joined the ranks of the anti-government forces.

This is the first wave of French fighters in eastern Ukraine. There are four of them-with more on the way.

"I served for five years with the paratroopers-in the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment. It is one of the elite regiments of the French Army are preparing the arrival of other French volunteers and even also volunteers from Serbia, because we are a Eurasiste organisation - so Franco-Serbian, to come here and fight on the side of the rebellion. We are thinking about bring around 20 other people," said Victor Lenta, Former French paratrooper.

France is a close ally of Ukraine, so Victor says he is sure Europeans will be surprised to see French citizens fighting alongside the pro-Russian rebels.

"In France, for example, Russia is presented as the aggressor like the one that attacks Ukraine, like the one that wants to take the riches of Ukraine. But us, we know very well, and have seen in the alternative media on the Internet etc that all the aggression was coming from Kiev, clearly against the Russian-speaking population of the Donbass region," said Lenta.

In recent weeks Kiev's forces have been making gains against the pro-Russian rebels in the east. But on Monday, Ukraine's military accused Russian forces, in the guise of separatist rebels, of crossing into southeast Ukraine with tanks and armored infantry vehicles, and opening a new front in the separatist war. While keeping quiet about Russia's alleged involvement, the French volunteers did say they think this is a war the rebels can still win.

"I came from the west, so through Ukraine to join Donetsk. And I had the opportunity with one of my comrades to talk with some Ukrainian soldiers. What I have seen is Ukrainian soldiers who are completely demoralised, who know very well that this is not an anti-terrorist operation, or to maintain order here, but that it is a real war. They confessed themselves that it was difficult, that they a ill-equipped and that they did not want to make war at all. So yes, here the rebellion has a chance to win this war," said Lenta.

Despite talks in Belarus Tuesday de-escalate the conflict, the French fighters are joining a war that, for now, has no end in sight.

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