French military authorities have confirmed that 50 Ukrainian soldiers deserted while undergoing training in France, raising questions about discipline and cohesion within the "Anne de Kiev" brigade.
Although the desertions occurred in France, officials described them as "marginal" in relation to the overall number of trainees, according to a recent report by Le Soir.
A French military spokesperson stated that under French law, disciplinary matters fall under the jurisdiction of Ukrainian officials, limiting France's ability to intervene in such cases.
The French Ministry of the Armed Forces stressed that the training provided met Ukraine's operational needs and was not connected to any plans for disbandment or reassignment of the brigade. It has requested clarification from Ukrainian authorities regarding the incidents.
The Anne de Kiev brigade, named after a historical queen of France of Ukrainian origin, is part of a French-led initiative to prepare Ukrainian forces for front-line deployment. Out of the brigade's 4,500 troops, approximately 2,000, including 300 officers, received training in France. Most of the trainees were new conscripts with no prior combat experience.
Reports of desertions surfaced alongside allegations of broader dysfunction within the brigade. Ukrainian journalist Yuri Butusov claimed that up to 1,700 soldiers from the unit had deserted, including 50 who left during training in France.
Butusov described the brigade's formation as marred by "organizational chaos," asserting that soldiers were being reassigned to fill gaps in other units.
In response, Commander of Ukrainian Ground Forces Mykhailo Drapaty acknowledged "issues" in the brigade's leadership and training but downplayed the scale of desertions within the Anne de Kiev brigade, calling them "minimal."
Drapaty added that efforts were underway to address the leadership and organizational challenges.
