A renowned Ukrainian journalist, Yuri Boutoussov, ignited the powder. According to him, nearly 1,700 soldiers from the “Anne of kyiv” brigade, partly trained and equipped by France, deserted. Most would have done so even before their unit was deployed to the front, and 50 during training in France. This brigade has been the subject of controversy since its return last month from France, where 2,300 of its 4,500 soldiers were trained and equipped.
Enough to seriously embarrass kyiv, which launched its investigators from the State Bureau of Investigation. The latter are “effectively studying the facts presented in the media as part of the criminal proceedings initiated under the articles” linked to the abuse of power and desertion within the “Anne of kyiv” brigade, affirmed Tatyana Sapian , the spokesperson for this official body.
These soldiers are therefore accused by the journalist in his long message on Facebook, but also and above all the Ukrainian military command. According to him, he failed in the initial training of the brigade, which took place in “complete organizational chaos”, and would have sent his soldiers to other units to “plug the holes” in terms of personnel. According to the journalist, what remained of the brigade was sent to Pokrovsk, one of the hottest sectors of the Eastern Front, while its commander was dismissed, as well as several of his subordinates. .
A “criminal attitude towards the lives of soldiers”
Still according to this Ukrainian journalist, the brigade was not equipped with drones or electronic jamming equipment, tools that have become essential for military units in this war. “Because of this criminal attitude towards the lives of soldiers, the 155th brigade suffered significant losses from the first days,” he accused.
The problems within the “Anne of kyiv” brigade had already been denounced by Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezougla, known for her virulent criticism of the military high command, who spoke in early December of a “zombie brigade” formed for “publicity” purposes. “. “The investigation is ongoing. It is too early to talk about preliminary results,” explained the spokesperson for the Bureau of Investigation.
Our file on the war in Ukraine
Desertions which are also very cumbersome for France as President Emmanuel Macron visited the soldiers of this Ukrainian brigade at the beginning of October during their training on our territory. France has in fact ceded 128 VAB troop transport vehicles, 18 AMX-10 tanks, 18 Caesar self-propelled guns as well as trucks, armored medical evacuation vehicles, Mistral anti-aircraft and Milan anti-tank missile firing points.
