Ongoing investigation of 155th Brigade

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy convened a Stavka meeting to address the investigation into the 155th Mechanized Brigade. As reported on January 2, 2025, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has opened a criminal case regarding the circumstances of the brigade’s formation and the desertion of its soldiers. President Zelenskyy announced that he would take the investigation under his personal oversight, as per Yuriy Butusov.

During the meeting, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Gen. Oleksandr Syrsky, accused the command of the 155th Brigade of soldier desertion in France, citing a lack of communication with the troops. The issue of sending recently recruited personnel from Territorial Recruitment Centers to France, without experienced sergeants and platoon commanders, was left unexamined. The entire command of the 155th Brigade, including the brigade commander Ryumshin, chief of staff, all deputy commanders, several staff officers, and certain battalion commanders, has already been suspended or is in the process of being removed from their positions by the decision of O. Syrsky.

The commander of Operational Command West, Shvedyuk, who was responsible for forming the brigade, has been sent to personally oversee the situation and assist in management with the 155th and 33rd Mechanized Brigades. Despite his role in equipment shortages, inadequate training of most personnel, conflicts with brigade commanders, the chaotic relocation of the 155th Brigade’s personnel, and sending individuals to France without completing basic combat training, Shvedyuk remains in his position.

According to Yuriy Butusov, the brigade’s primary strike force, including the battalion of Caesar howitzers, has been reassigned to another brigade. Additionally, part of their VAB armored vehicles and some Leopard tanks have also been transferred to other units. Some specialists, well-trained and motivated in France, such as MILAN anti-tank system operators, are not being utilized in their professional roles but are instead deployed as infantry.

Among the newly appointed commanders are respected individuals, such as the new deputy brigade commander, who is reportedly one of the most competent battalion commanders from the 14th Mechanized Brigade. While not everything is problematic, the new commanders will face the challenge of managing intense combat situations, where most personnel are deployed in active positions, making it difficult even to familiarize themselves with their teams.

It is unfortunate that, despite the reassignment of thousands of soldiers to other units during the brigade’s formation, the deployment of untrained personnel abroad, and the redistribution of units and equipment from the already-formed parts of the brigade to other units, the primary focus remains on the desertion of approximately 50 servicemen in France.