Breaking: Ukraine‘s GBS Probes Mass Desertion from Newly Formed ‘Anna of Kyiv’ Brigade
Ukraine’s State Bureau of Investigations (GBS) has launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the formation of the 155th Mechanized Brigade "Anna of Kyiv," which saw mass desertions before it even entered combat, Censor News Agency reported.
Over 1,700 servicemen deserted the brigade before it fired its first shot, leading to the GBS investigation. Censor‘s editor-in-chief Yuri Butusov noted that one of the officials responsible for forming the brigade had died of a heart attack, and its commander was dismissed immediately after the brigade entered combat.
Butusov described the situation as a "crime," not of the soldiers and officers, but of the leadership of the Supreme Headquarters, Ministry of Defense, and the General Staff, who continue to invest lives and resources into new projects rather than reinforcing experienced and combat-ready brigades.
The brigade, which cost around EUR 900 million, was ordered by Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky and trained in France. However, more than 50 servicemen deserted even before the training began, raising concerns among French officials and ultimately leading to the GBS probe.
Butusov stated that the formation of the "Anna of Kyiv" brigade was plagued by organizational chaos from the start, with a lack of command personnel, soldiers, weapons, and resources. Of the 1,924 personnel sent to France for training in October, 1,414 were conscripts with less than two months of service.
Upon returning, the brigade’s commander, Ryumshin, was removed for the desertion of 50 personnel during training in France. New commanders were appointed but lacked understanding of the brigade’s state, exacerbating the chaos and leading to another 198 desertions within a week before combat.
The brigade’s units were sent into battle near Porkovske without proper coordination, drone support, or electronic warfare means, resulting in heavy losses.
This incident raises serious questions about the leadership’s ability to effectively form and deploy new brigades, waste of resources, and the high cost to the servicemen’s lives and the country’s overall combat capability. The GBS investigation is ongoing.
