SBI opened a criminal case against 155th Brigade

The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has launched a criminal case into the circumstances surrounding the formation of the 155th Mechanized Brigade, which currently fights near Pokrovsk. This is reported by Yuriy Butusov, a Ukrainian news report of censor.net.

The criminal investigation was initiated due to events in France, where the 155th Mechanized Brigade had been sent for training. This was Ukraine’s first initiative to form and equip an entire brigade with the support of Western partners. During the training phase abroad, over 50 servicemen deserted, raising concerns in France. As a result, the SBI launched a criminal case, as the issue gained significant attention from Ukrainian military leadership and headquarters.

The formation and staffing of the brigade were overseen by the Operational Command “West.” However, it quickly became evident that OK “West” lacked the necessary command personnel, soldiers, weapons, and resources to establish a new unit. From its inception, the formation of the 155th Brigade was plagued by complete organizational chaos across all aspects. Those who endeavored to serve with integrity faced significant challenges, while the unit suffered considerable losses due to widespread desertions during its earliest stages.

The staffing of the brigade officially began in June, but the personnel did not have the opportunity to complete their full training. By July and August, over 2,550 servicemen from the 155th brigade were reassigned to reinforce other units. This effectively stripped the brigade of nearly all capable personnel, including those who had just been assigned to positions by the combat commanders. In doing so, the work carried out from March to June was entirely undone. As a result, the brigade had to be reorganized again in August. Yet, shortly after, an order was issued for the remaining personnel to prepare for deployment to France by the end of September.

As a result, 1,924 servicemen were sent to France as part of the 155th Brigade. Of these, only 51 had more than a year of military experience, 459 had less than a year, and the majority—1,414 individuals—had been enlisted for less than two months. This group included approximately 150 newly recruited personnel who had been sent to France without undergoing the basic training. Among this group, France saw the highest number of deserters, with about 50 servicemen fleeing from the brigade altogether.

While the entire brigade command was undergoing training in France, thousands of new recruits were enlisted in their absence, without the oversight of brigade or battalion commanders. As a result, in October and November, over 700 personnel deserted the brigade shortly after being enlisted within Ukrainian territory.

Nevertheless, the majority of servicemen sent to France did not desert; instead, they were preparing. Over 4,000 individuals, recruited without proper selection from the recruiting centers, arrived to reinforce the brigade between September and November. Despite the absence of brigade command and a designated deployment point, these recruits did not flee. They were housed at the training center of OC West, where they received basic training from instructors sent by the OC.

Beginning on November 15, the soldiers of the brigade were gradually returned to Ukraine, while the brigade headquarters remained in France to complete staff training, which received high praise from the French instructors. The brigade headquarters arrived in Ukraine on November 30, but the commander Ryumshin was unable to meet his 4,000 new subordinates waiting at the training center, nor could he conduct the planned additional training for those who had returned and lacked essential knowledge. In the absence of the brigade’s command and combat personnel, the leadership of OK West started transferring untrained and uncoordinated recruits to the Pokrovsk.

Upon Ryumshin’s arrival from France to Pokrovsk for the brigade’s deployment, the commission visited the area on December 4. They quickly concluded that the brigade commander had allegedly failed to engage with the personnel, resulting in a low moral and psychological state among the troops. Within a few days, Ryumshin, who had just managed to establish some sort of control in the chaos and was attempting to salvage the situation, was removed from his position. Several staff officers and one combatant were also dismissed, and new commanders were appointed who had no understanding of the brigade’s current state and were entirely unfamiliar with the personnel.

Although the brigade was fully equipped with infantry, artillery, and armored vehicles, it lacked drones—critical tools for reconnaissance and control in modern warfare. This made it only conditionally capable of conducting combat operations. With the help of volunteers, the brigade was able to deploy no more than 5-6 drones at a time, primarily due to a shortage of trained operators. Ten days after entering combat, the brigade received money from the Ministry of Defense to purchase a batch of drones.

There was also a complete lack of electronic warfare equipment, and there was no time to equip all combat vehicles with reliable grilles—nor were the grilles available. All these supplies were requested from volunteers, as the Ministry of Defense failed to fulfill any requests for drones or EW equipment. As a result, brand-new Leopard 2A4 tanks and VAB armored vehicles suffered losses during their first attempts to be used at the front, largely due to enemy drones. Furthermore, the VAB armored vehicles and AMX-10 vehicles were not even being properly serviced, leading to numerous technical issues.

In Pokrovsk, adjacent to the 155th Brigade are experienced units, such as the 1st Assault Battalion, the 25th Airborne Brigade, and the 68th Jaeger Brigade. These units face a severe shortage of infantry personnel, which limits their ability to hold a broad front. However, they do have experienced UAV units, headquarters, and command staff capable of quickly training and preparing mobilized personnel for combat. Despite this, these combat-ready brigades were not provided with the personnel they needed and were not allowed to stabilize the front. Instead, personnel were allocated to newly formed brigades.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy is set to convene the Stavka on January 3, 2025. The primary agenda is expected to address the revelations surrounding the 155th Mechanized Brigade, brought to light by Yuriy Butusov. Hopefully, this will prompt the Ukrainian command to reconsider its approach, halt the formation of new brigades, and redirect available mobilized personnel to critically understaffed yet experienced brigades that are currently holding the line with minimal resources.