This is the latest scandal to hit this brigade. It was supposed to become an exemplary combat force and a symbol of France’s support for Ukraine, but since its establishment in 2024, it has faced difficulties such as mass desertions, weak fighting spirit, and lack of equipment.
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The news of the brigade commander’s detention came at a time when V. Zelensky flew to Paris to meet with Ukraine’s supporters in Europe, aiming to pressure Russia to end the war and to obtain air defense systems for Kyiv.
Ukrainian police state that the commander of the mentioned unit, Stanislav Luchanov, is suspected of kidnapping and killing two brothers who disappeared in the Kyiv region in June.
The police say the brothers insulted a woman during a noise dispute. The woman’s husband enlisted other soldiers to “take revenge” on the brothers.
Some Ukrainian media reported that the woman involved in the conflict was S. Luchanov’s wife, while the police only stated that the woman’s husband is an active service soldier.
The bullet-riddled bodies of the brothers were found last week, according to a police statement.
V. Zelensky stated that a total of 10 people have been detained in this case.
“Among them are military personnel and the former commander of the 155th brigade,” he wrote on social media.
The police stated that S. Luchanov faces charges of murder and organizing a serious crime but did not specify exactly what role he played in this incident.
The harshest penalty for such crimes is life imprisonment.
The 155th brigade is known as “Ana Kyivite.” It is named in honor of a medieval Kyiv princess who married the King of France.
About the formation of this unit, French President Emmanuel Macron together with V. Zelensky announced in 2024, marking the 80th anniversary of the Allied landing in Normandy, the so-called D-Day.
Hundreds of soldiers of this brigade were partially trained in France.
However, it has been shaken by more than one scandal, including hundreds of reports of desertion.
S. Luchanov was suspended from his duties after leaving the unit without permission, the Ukrainian military leadership reported on Saturday.
Amid public outrage, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko acknowledged that this case “sparked a broader discussion about the behavior of certain soldiers in the rear.”
“It is unacceptable to resolve conflicts using gang methods,” he wrote on social media.
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