France confirms cases of desertion of Ukrainian soldiers during exercises - media

Several dozen Ukrainian soldiers deserted during exercises in France, but this did not become a mass phenomenon.

In particular, a representative of the French army, who is an AFP source, noted that "there were individual cases of desertion", but their number was insignificant compared to the total number of those who underwent training.

"They were in French barracks and had the right to leave," the source said.

It was also noted that the Ukrainian soldiers who underwent training were subject to the disciplinary regime established by the Ukrainian command. France, in turn, does not have the authority to detain deserters.

"In France, desertion is not a criminal act. If someone deserted, the French prosecutor did not have the authority to arrest this person. And the right granted to the Ukrainian authorities on French territory is only a disciplinary right," the French official explained.

In turn, France24 clarifies that the French army has trained 2,300 soldiers on its territory from the 155th Anne of Kyiv mechanized brigade, which is currently participating in the fighting in the Pokrovsk Axis. Most of the soldiers were conscripts without combat experience, and 300 Ukrainian supervisors were involved in their training. The remaining 2,200 soldiers of the brigade underwent training in Ukraine.

As we will recall, journalist Yurii Butusov previously reported that about 1,700 soldiers left the brigade without entering combat, and 50 deserted during exercises in France.