Published January 3, 2025 at 10:22 am
Foreign. A major military scandal has emerged in Ukraine after hundreds of soldiers from a French-trained brigade are reported to have deserted. The incident has prompted Ukraine to launch a criminal investigation into “abuse of power” and desertion, reports say AFP.
Dubbed Anna of Kiev, the brigade was to consist of 4,500 soldiers and was partly trained by France – which also provided equipment.
Despite the foreign support, the brigade has been marked by great difficulties. According to the Ukrainian journalist Yuriy Butusov, 1,700 soldiers must have fled before they even participated in any battles, of which 50 must have already defected during training in France.
– The investigation is ongoing. It is too early to talk about any preliminary results, says Tetiana Sapian, spokeswoman for Ukraine’s State Investigation Agency according to AFP.
Member of Parliament Marjana Bezuhla criticizes the military leadership and states that the brigade has now been disbanded and redistributed to other units.
– Not even the French attempts to make the brigade specialized could save it from the bad military decisions of our generals, says Marjana Bezuhla.
The incident highlights the problems facing Ukraine’s army as Russia steps up its three-year invasion. According to AFP’s data analysis, Russia advanced by 4,000 square kilometers last year, while Ukraine’s armed forces struggle with personnel shortages and exhaustion.
The uncertainty is further exacerbated by the uncertainty surrounding future US support when Donald Trump soon takes office as president.
Source: www.friatider.se
