Mykhailo Drapatyi, commander of Ukraine’s Ground Forces, acknowledged significant challenges within the French-trained 155th "Anne of Kyiv" Mechanized Brigade, including high desertion rates and poor organization,

The 155th Mechanized Brigade, partially trained by France, came under scrutiny after a Ukrainian reporter said 1,700 men had deserted since March.

One of Ukraine’s flagship military units, the 155th Mechanised Brigade, trained in France and equipped with some of the best Western weaponry, has lost over 1,700 soldiers, who have abandoned their posts and gone AWOL,

Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi’s statements came following a media investigation claimed that soldiers of the unit, now deployed near Pokrovsk, have suffered losses and went AWOL (absent without leave) in large numbers due to poor command and organization on Ukraine's side.

The problems afflicting the 155th Separate Mechanized Brigade illustrate the bigger issues that have plagued Ukraine's military and hampered its ability to fight a larger, better-equipped Russian force.

The statement comes following a media investigation that claimed that soldiers of the unit, deployed near Pokrovsk, have suffered heavy losses and went AWOL in large numbers due to poor command and organization on Ukraine's side.