Joined the Armed Forces of Ukraine and left for abroad: why the 155th brigade sent "draft dodgers" to France.
155th Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine named after Anna Kyivska is known for the mass departures of its soldiers to SOCH over the past year. Communication advisor of the GBR, Tatyana Sapyian, reported that among the military sent for training in France were men who had previously been caught attempting to illegally cross the border to escape to the EU and evade service in Ukraine.
Previously, these men paid third parties for assistance in illegal border crossing but were detained by border guards. They were not prosecuted; instead, they received administrative fines.
"If I’m not mistaken, about 12 'draft dodgers' ended up on the list for training in France," — said Tatyana Sapyian.
She noted that it has already been proven that they evaded service, and now law enforcement is investigating how the scheme with the lists of 'draft dodgers' for training abroad operated. Currently, these soldiers are outside the country, and the investigation is working to bring them back home.
155th Brigade: Why 'Draft Dodgers' Were Sent for Training Abroad
According to him, first, the mobilization system in Ukraine collapsed, leading to a busification that is unable to fill the Armed Forces, as there is a catastrophic shortage of personnel at the front.
Moreover, the expert pointed out that the fact that these men previously attempted to leave the country does not mean they would have gone to SOCH when they were called to service. However, the higher military command created conditions under which people left their units voluntarily.
Problems of Mobilization and Rapid Staffing of Brigades
In Oleg Zhdanov's opinion, the entire issue lies within the state-level system. He believes that it should be addressed at the level of the Supreme Commander. In particular, the president has already attempted to convene a meeting regarding the situation in the 155th Brigade.
Leontiev is convinced that the problem lies with the representatives of the TCC who draft people into the army who are completely unmotivated, do not want to serve, and try every possible way to evade service.
According to him, TCC employees were given a "carte blanche", meaning they could do anything as long as the army was filled with personnel. As a result, the quality of the personnel — draft dodgers, the sick, those who cannot walk — is of no concern to them.
Recall that on January 23, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Oleksandr Syrskyi, reported that the 155th Brigade is gradually gaining certain combat capabilities. All negative aspects and difficulties that arose during its deployment in Ukraine have been analyzed, and conclusions have already been made.
On January 7, the commander of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Mykhailo Drapatiy, stated that the problems in the 155th Brigade could have been resolved by commanders on-site. Therefore, work was being done to enhance their competence.