France Completes Training of Anna of Kyiv Brigade

15 November, 2024 Ukrainian recruits against the background of the French VAB armored personnel carrier, April 2024. Photo credits: Wojtek Radwanski/AFP Ukrainian soldiers from the 155th Mechanized Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv have successfully completed a training course in France.

The Minister of Defense of Ukraine Rustem Umerov announced this. "Our French partners have provided our soldiers not only with high-quality general and specialized training, but also with modern equipment and weapons: armored personnel carriers, self-propelled artillery systems, trucks, situational awareness systems and other necessary equipment," the Defense Minister stated. This brigade was the first to be trained and fully equipped by France as part of the EU military training mission for Ukraine.

155th Mechanized Brigade named after Anna of Kyiv

French President Emmanuel Macron announced this brigade's training in France in early October 2024.

"I have made this commitment: our military is now training 2,300 Ukrainian soldiers in Grand Este, with the equipment they will use during their missions," Macron said, posting footage from the training. The entire brigade was being trained in France at once, and it was also fully equipped with the French weapons with which the soldiers were trained.

In particular, VAB armored personnel carriers, AMX-10RC armored fighting vehicles, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers, Mistral man-portable air defense systems and Milan ATGMs. At the end of October 2024, it became known that Ukraine had agreed with the French government to equip another army brigade with French weapons as part of military assistance. This was announced by Volodymyr Zelensky on his social media page.

At the end of October 2024, it became known that Ukraine had agreed with the French government to equip another army brigade with French weapons as part of military assistance.

Volodymyr Zelensky announced this on his social media page.

"We invite [partners] to join us in creating Scandinavian brigades, demonstrating your continued commitment to the defense of Europe," Zelensky added.