In Ukraine, a commander has been detained on suspicion of desertion, as reported by the special investigative service. He allegedly urged his subordinates to flee.
The commander was part of a brigade trained in France, from which hundreds of soldiers reportedly deserted or never showed up. He led a company of 100 to 150 soldiers and is the highest-ranking officer arrested in the scandal involving a brigade of several thousand.
The commander was apprehended in northwestern Ukraine for allegedly ignoring orders to transfer his troops and instead instructing them to flee without weapons, according to the State Bureau of Investigation. He has been taken to Kyiv for prosecution and faces a minimum ten-year sentence.
The 155th mechanized brigade’s issues were exposed by a Ukrainian journalist who reported that at one point, 1,700 soldiers were absent. It remains unclear how many truly deserted.
A French officer told AFP that a “limited” number disappeared during training in France. An investigation was announced last week, and a Ukrainian general admitted to structural issues within the brigade, citing poor management and recruitment errors.
The journalist blamed military leadership for mismanagement and waste, criticizing their focus on new projects over strengthening experienced brigades. Desertions have become a growing problem in Ukraine, with thousands of investigations launched by the Prosecutor General’s Office last year.
The shortage of personnel has led to exhaustion and low morale at the front. According to The Washington Post, many Ukrainian soldiers are welcoming upcoming ceasefire negotiations as Donald Trump is set to take office in the U.S. in about a week and a half, with the expectation that he will prioritize this.
Source: NOS