“A few dozen” Ukrainian soldiers who were trained in France have deserted during their training, according to French military officials.
A Ukrainian commander had previously acknowledged issues within this unit. However, Paris says the number of desertions is “negligible” in comparison to the total number of soldiers trained.
The Ukrainians were subjected to a “regime imposed by Ukrainian commanders,” said the French military leadership. They also told French news agency AFP that desertion was not a crime in France.
“If someone deserts, a French public prosecutor does not have the authority to arrest that person, and Ukrainian authorities only have disciplinary rights on French soil,” the military leadership added.
The brigade concerned is named after Anna of Kyiv, wife of French King Henry I. This unit includes around 4,500 soldiers, about 2,000 of whom have received training in France.
Most of the trainees are conscripts without combat experience, accompanied by 300 Ukrainian personnel. The remainder of the unit was trained in Ukraine.
Following media reports of abuse of power and desertion, Mykhailo Drapaty, the commander of the Ukrainian ground forces, admitted there were “problems,” but not necessarily to the extent reported.
