Dozens of Ukrainian Soldiers Desert in France, Official Says
A French army official reported on Monday that dozens of Ukrainian soldiers had deserted during their training in France, according to the Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The 155th Mechanized Brigade, named after Anna of Kyiv, the daughter of a medieval prince who married a French king, was a showpiece unit of Ukrainian soldiers being trained and equipped by France. The brigade was inspected by French President Emmanuel Macron in October in northern France.
Around 2,300 soldiers were trained in France, with an additional 2,200 in Ukraine.
The official, who did not provide a specific number of deserters, described the number as “very small compared to the number of people who were trained.”
The soldiers, who were housed in French barracks and had the right to leave, were subject to a disciplinary regime imposed by the Ukrainian command, the official said. France has no authority to detain the deserters, the official added.
“Yes, there are problems, we are aware of them” said Mikhail Drapaty, the recently appointed commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, in a statement to AFP.
Most of the soldiers in France were conscripts without combat experience, accompanied by 300 Ukrainian officers, AFP reported.
Renowned Ukrainian journalist Yuri Butusov earlier this month reported that “dozens” of soldiers in the brigade had deserted in France, and that 1,700 more were absent without leave during their service in Ukraine.
Butusov also claimed that the leading commanders of the brigade had been either dismissed or were on the verge of being dismissed.
Commander Drapaty told AFP that “a series of the presented facts has indeed occurred” but “perhaps not to the extent and scale as presented.”
The brigade acknowledged having personnel problems and published a social media appeal for the deserters to return, saying, “We understand that the reasons that forced you to be absent without leave can be different. Return to the team. We wait for you.”
Ukrainian state investigation bureau spokesperson Tatiana Sapian said the authorities were investigating the brigade for desertion and abuse of power.
Last week, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced that his ministry would conduct a “comprehensive analysis” of the Ground Forces command and implement “reforms in management and personnel policy.”
The Ukrainian army is struggling with personnel shortages and low morale at the front, with soldiers, journalists, and military bloggers increasingly criticizing the government.