An anonymous representative of the French army stated this to the AFP agency, writes France24.
He mentioned that among the Ukrainians "there were a certain number of deserters, but this figure remains extremely insignificant considering the number of people who underwent training."
"They were in French barracks, they had the right to leave," said the French army representative.
A separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, "Anna Kyivska," which is positioned in the Pokrovsk direction of the Donetsk region, was receiving training in France. According to the publication, the French army trained 2,300 soldiers from this brigade.
Recently, Butusov stated that 1,700 servicemen from the 155th separate mechanized brigade named after Anna Kyivska deserted even before the unit fired its first shot.
The journalist describes the formation of the brigade as "a complete organizational chaos in literally all components." According to him, since March, when the brigade was being formed, a certain number of fighters had been arriving monthly. By October, when the brigade went for training in France, there were already 935 fighters. In France itself, another 50 members of the brigade deserted.
The GUR noted that the investigation "is examining the facts reported in the media," having opened criminal cases under articles relating to desertion and abuse of power or official authority by military officials.