A "certain number" of Ukrainian soldiers have deserted from a unit undergoing training in France, according to French media citing military officials.
They stated that the number of deserters remains "very insignificant" compared to those undergoing training in the Western European country.
The focus is on the 155th Mechanized Brigade "Anna Kyivska," named after a princess from Kyiv who married French King Henry I in the 11th century.
The French army has trained about 2,300 soldiers from this brigade on its territory, accompanied by 300 Ukrainian controllers.
According to a representative of the French army, Ukrainian soldiers undergoing training in France were subject to a disciplinary regime "imposed by the Ukrainian command."
"In France, desertion is not considered a crime," the official said. "They were in French barracks, and they had the right to leave."
According to an investigation by Ukrainian media conducted by "Censor.net," the number of soldiers who fled is likely around 50.
Kyiv investigates the brigade that underwent French training
A broader media investigation into the 155th Mechanized Brigade "Anna Kyivska" points to issues in the formation and management of the unit, which reportedly led to 1,700 cases of unauthorized absence among soldiers.
Mikhail Drapaty, the commander of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, acknowledged the existence of "significant problems" during a press conference on Monday.
"Of course, this is a negative lesson, a negative experience, but it should be transformed into some preventive actions," Drapaty said, adding that desertion is often caused by fear and a lack of combat experience.
"There are many manifestations of unauthorized leaving of military units, but there are also reasons," he said. "This is the fear of personnel, and sometimes the lack of practical combat experience."
The State Bureau of Investigations of Ukraine began an investigation into suspected desertion and abuse of power in the 155th Mechanized Brigade "Anna Kyivska," which underwent French training, earlier this year.
In a separate statement, Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov announced last Thursday that Kyiv would conduct a comprehensive review of the command of the Ground Forces.
"Victory requires a deep analysis of experience and an honest understanding of mistakes," Umerov said.
The aim of the review is to assess management structures, processes, and compliance with legislation to support reforms and enhance battlefield effectiveness.
Earlier, the commander of the Ground Forces, General Mikhail Drapaty, also stated that "fundamental reforms" would be conducted to strengthen the sector.
Amnesty for first-time deserters
On November 29, a new law came into effect in Ukraine allowing servicemen who have deserted their units to return to military service without facing criminal charges.
The law applies only to cases of first-time unauthorized absence, offering amnesty to soldiers who return by January 1, 2025.
On December 3, just days after the new amnesty law for deserters took effect, the Ukrainian Military Law Enforcement Service reported that about 1,000 soldiers return daily.
The new law requires unit commanders to extend contracts or reinstate returning servicemen within 72 hours. Those who return fully regain their pay, provisions, equipment benefits, and social guarantees. They could return to any unit except the one they left.
Official statistics show that in the first nine months of 2024, the number of cases of unauthorized absences tripled compared to the same period in 2023. Overall, the number of soldiers who have deserted their units is in the tens of thousands.
Ukraine's mobilization task
The new law and media investigation into the 155th Mechanized Brigade "Anna Kyivska" arise amidst growing concerns about mobilization and reform of Ukraine's military leadership, as the Armed Forces of Ukraine face increasing pressure from Russian forces in the east of the country.
In October, it became known that American lawmakers were allegedly pressuring Kyiv to further lower the conscription age from 25 to 18 years.
Until April 2024, Ukrainian men could be conscripted into the army only at 27 years of age. The conscription age in Ukraine was lowered to 25 when Kyiv updated a series of mobilization laws to increase the number of available troops.
Volodymyr Zelensky refused to change the conscription age and instead continued to insist on receiving additional military aid from the U.S.
According to him, Western allies have provided enough assistance to fully equip only 2.5 out of 10 Ukrainian brigades that Ukraine requested support for.
At the end of November, the Associated Press reported that the Biden administration continues to push for lowering the conscription age in Ukraine.
AP quotes an unnamed senior Biden administration official: "The sheer math of the situation Ukraine is in right now is that it needs more troops to fight."