"French-sponsored Ukrainian army brigade has been badly botched"
Problems of forming new brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the example of the 155th Brigade, which was trained in France
The Economist writes about this, citing articles by Yurii Butusov.
The scandal revealed serious weaknesses in Ukraine's military command.
The formation of the 155th Ukrainian Army Brigade was announced in June last year at the anniversary of the Normandy landings. The ceremony was followed by a photo session with French President Emmanuel Macron. Paid for, trained and equipped by France, the brigade was a show of support from NATO, the first of 14 new brigades that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hoped would be sponsored by Western allies. Its redeployment six months later was a disaster.
Starting in November, articles by Yurii Butusov, founder of the news website Censor.NET, exposed gross mismanagement: 1,700 men, about a third of the brigade, left their units without permission (some returned to their old units), and 50 deserted to France. France provided the promised "Caesar" howitzers, armoured vehicles and anti-tank missiles, but Ukraine failed to provide the necessary capabilities in drones and electronic warfare. Upon its return, the brigade was split: units and equipment were distributed among other brigades, trained specialists were transferred to infantry platoons, and desertions increased as inexperienced units were sent to the front lines and suffered heavy losses.
Mr Butusov notes that the 8 newly created brigades that Ukraine formed in 2024 faced similar problems during their first redeployment. But the desertion of the 155th Brigade has highlighted Ukraine's complex mobilisation process, inaction by the high command, and growing concerns among allies who support the war effort but have no say in strategy. The 155th Brigade is said to have cost around 900 million euros ($930 million). "For better or worse, Ukraine makes all the decisions," said Jeffrey Edmonds, a former Pentagon official now at the Centre for a New American Security, a think-tank in Washington.
Nick (his military call sign), a battalion commander with the 155th Brigade, said that last year he trained three groups of recruits who were then sent to other brigades. When the 155th went to France, it took the recruits with it. Only a dozen soldiers in his unit had combat experience before going to France. The brigade's return was chaotic: some officers stayed behind for additional training. Nick and his soldiers were immediately sent to areas of fierce fighting. On one occasion, he personally led ten soldiers to recapture a position to demonstrate tactics to soldiers without combat experience.
Mr Zelenskyy is reportedly now overseeing an investigation into "abuse of power" to assuage French discontent. General Mykhailo Drapatyi, appointed commander of the Ukraine's ground forces in November, stressed that the French side "has fully fulfilled its obligations to Ukraine". He pledged to strengthen the brigade's officer corps and encouraged soldiers to contact him personally.
However, according to Mr Butusov, the problems are indicative of failures at the top of the Ukrainian command. A new mobilisation law passed last spring has not stopped forced recruitment on the streets, and desertions increased last year. Some generals are turning a blind eye to the negative news: an internal report that rated the brigade as "unsatisfactory" was revised to "satisfactory" before it was redeployed. Others shift the blame to their subordinates. After the scandal broke, the brigade commander, who was highly respected, was fired.
Many argue that the army should strengthen existing brigades rather than create new ones. Commanders are are loth to part with their best soldiers, so new brigades have difficulty attracting veterans. America has promised to create two new brigades, and Germany has promised to create one. However, with both governments in transition, the timetables are becoming increasingly unclear. After meeting with Mr Macron in December, Mr Zelenskyy announced that France would create a second brigade, but France has indicated that the issue is still "under discussion". The scandal has since reportedly led Mr Zelensky to order a temporary halt to new brigades.
At midnight, Nick spoke to The Economist via video call from his bunker three kilometres from the front line. The screen behind him showed night-time video surveillance of the battlefield using night vision devices and the 155th Brigade's flag with the scorpion emblem. The brigade is training on the job. Although desertions still occur, over the past two weeks Nick has felt a "sense of brotherhood" emerge. The day, he sighed, had been much like the last 40. He has not seen his wife for five months. "We are holding on."
