Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation has launched a probe into suspected desertion and abuse of authority in the French-trained 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Mechanized Brigade, the bureau confirmed for Suspilne on Jan. 2.
The statement comes following a media investigation that claimed that soldiers of the unit, now deployed near Pokrovsk, have suffered losses and went AWOL (absent without leave) in large numbers due to poor command and organization on Ukraine's side.
The brigade is a flagship project under which Kyiv's partners will help train new Ukrainian military formations and provide heavy equipment. The training of the 155th Brigade, named after an 11th-century Kyiv Rus princess and spouse to French King Henry I, was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron in June.
The unit has about 5,800 troops, fewer than 2,000 of whom have undergone training in France. It is armed with French AMX10 armored vehicles, Caesar howitzers, and German Leopard 2A4 tanks, among other weapons.
France fulfilled its obligations regarding training and arms, said Yurii Butusov, the chief editor of the Censor.net outlet, in the media investigation, putting the blame for the unit's problems on top Ukrainian military and political leadership.
According to the journalist, the unit's founding was an "organizational chaos" since the very beginning. Even before the training in France began, 2,500 service members were reportedly sent to other units, thus removing many of the most qualified personnel from the brigade.
Of the 1,924 soldiers eventually sent to France, only 51 had more than a year of military service, while 1,414 had served for less than two months, Butusov wrote.
The unit was also plagued by large numbers of soldiers going AWOL — about 50 deserted in France, in addition to hundreds who left their posts even before the unit was deployed at the front, according to the journalist.
Between March and November, over 1,700 soldiers had gone AWOL, Butusov claimed without providing evidence. Though the unit was replenished with new recruits, these often did not undergo "proper selection process," the journalist added.
The military laid the blame for desertions in France on the brigade's commander, Dmytro Riumshin, who was dismissed in early December alongside several other top officers. The new commanders were unaware of the problems plaguing the unit, adding to the confusion, Butusov wrote.
The 155th Brigade did not reportedly receive drones or electronic warfare equipment from the Ukrainian command. This, in addition to poor organization and insufficient training, is said to have contributed to the losses the unit suffered once deployed in combat in November.
The Kyiv Independent could not verify the claims.
The French Defense Ministry declined to comment on the investigation when approached by the media.
"The investigation is ongoing. It is too early to talk about any preliminary results," the State Bureau of Investigation told Suspilne.
The news comes amid growing calls for reform in the Ukrainian military leadership as Kyiv finds itself increasingly on the back foot in the war with Russia.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
