Several dozen Ukrainian military deserts French training, but issue limited in scope – France24

Several dozen Ukrainian military personnel who were undergoing training in France deserted, but it did not become a widespread issue.

An anonymous representative of the French army told AFP, according to France24.

He said that among the Ukrainians, "there was a certain number of deserters, but this number remains extremely small given the number of people who underwent training."

"They were in French barracks; they had the right to leave," a representative of the French army said.

The 155th mechanized brigade of Ukraine's armed forces, known as "Anna of Kyiv," received training in France. They are currently stationed on the Pokrovsk front in the Donetsk region. In November of last year, the Ukrainian military successfully completed their training at a facility in France.

According to the publication, the French army trained 2,300 soldiers from this brigade.

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Previously, Ukrainian journalist Butusov presented information about the improper establishment and deployment of the recently formed 155th mechanized brigade "Anna of Kyiv." The State Bureau of Investigation stated that it is currently investigating charges of abuse of power and desertion.

The new formation of the 155th brigade, "Anna of Kyiv," is a crucial component of a government initiative to establish 14 additional brigades. To do so, Ukraine must source personnel, secure international partnerships, and acquire necessary weaponry. Based on the evaluations of both the Ministry of Defense and General Staff, the total cost for a single new brigade is estimated to be around 900 million euros.

The 155th brigade began to form in March 2024. An experienced officer, Dmytro Riumshin, was appointed its commander. Butusov says the formation and staffing of the brigade were the responsibility of the Operational Command "West," the commander of which was General Shvediuk, the Chief of Staff Colonel Seletsky, and the ground forces, General Pavliuk.

From the start, it became clear that Operational Command "West" lacked the command staff, soldiers, weapons, and resources to establish a new unit. As the journalist observed, the creation of the 155th brigade was plagued by organizational chaos in every aspect from the very first days.

This led to significant losses due to the unauthorized abandonment of the unit from the very beginning of its formation.

It was reported that a total of 1,700 service members from the 155th separate mechanized brigade had allegedly departed from their service. Specifically, there were allegedly instances of soldiers deserting during training in France.

The State Bureau of Investigation announced that they are currently examining the information reported by the media. They have initiated criminal proceedings under charges of desertion and misuse of power or authority by a military official.

On January 5, during the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's Headquarters, President Volodymyr Zelensky personally took control of the situation concerning the 155th "Anna of Kyiv" Motorized Rifle Brigade after being briefed on their status by the report from the 155th Mechanized Brigade.