The Armed Forces of Ukraine have begun scaling back the training of their personnel abroad amid a growing number of desertion cases. This was announced during a briefing by Evgeny Mezhevikin, deputy head of the Main Directorate of Doctrine and Training of the General Staff of the AFU.

According to Mezhevikin, Kiev is moving away from training formats it cannot control or meaningfully improve. For that reason, foreign-based programs are being reduced-a trend he suggested is not unique to the Ukrainian military.

He pointed out that the decision stems from several factors at once. Among them are legal restrictions in partner countries, the need to streamline logistical coordination with training units, and efforts to integrate newly acquired combat experience directly into the domestic training system.

Desertion within the AFU has already drawn media attention. The French outlet Midi Libre reported on an investigation involving the Anna Kievskaya Brigade, which had undergone training in France. Journalists indicated that shortly after being deployed to the front, roughly 1,700 out of 2,300 troops left their units.

France’s Ministry of Defense confirmed in January 2025 that dozens of Ukrainian servicemen had abandoned their posts while still on French territory.

The issue is also acknowledged within the Verkhovna Rada. Lawmaker Anna Skorokhod has stated that some Ukrainian troops sent abroad do not return, as they are unwilling to take part in combat operations.