**Ukraine’s Ground Forces Chief Reports on 155th Brigade**
General Mykhailo Drapatyi, Ukraine’s Ground Forces chief, has spoken out about the problems facing the French-trained 155th “Anne of Kyiv” Brigade. In a statement on January 8, Drapatyi said that poor command and organization within Ukraine’s military leadership were to blame for the unit’s struggles.
The brigade, which was formed last year with the help of France, has faced issues such as soldiers going AWOL in large numbers and suffering losses. Drapatyi acknowledged “inadequate management,” “mistakes in recruitment,” and “imperfect training planning” within the unit.
**Solutions Being Implemented**
Drapatyi said that solutions are already being implemented to address these problems. These include recruiting experienced officers and commanders, providing additional training for soldiers, and establishing a hotline for them to report issues directly to him.
Psychologists have also been provided to help strengthen the brigade’s cohesion while it is on duty near Pokrovsk. Drapatyi stressed that he wants to hear directly from soldiers about their motivations and concerns.
**French Training Assistance**
Despite the problems facing the brigade, Drapatyi praised the French side for fulfilling its obligations to Ukraine. The 155th Brigade was intended to be a flagship project for Ukrainian brigades trained with the help of foreign partners.
**Other Developments**
In other news, Poland has closed its consulate building in St. Petersburg after 53 years. This decision follows Warsaw’s order to close a Russian consulate in the Polish city of Poznan last year.
A fleet of up to 10 NATO vessels will guard infrastructure under the Baltic Sea until April, following suspected sabotage attacks. Photos and videos of jailed Belarusian opposition leader Viktar Babaryka were published by blogger Raman Pratasevich on January 8.
**World Leaders Weigh In**
US President-elect Donald Trump has called for NATO to raise its defense spending benchmark from 2% of GDP to 5%. This echoes his earlier calls for Europe to spend more on security.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has referred to Armenia as a “fascist state,” and said that Baku might have no other choice but to “destroy” it.