Drug use on Ukraine's front lines rampant among Russian troops'

"I witnessed my squad leader die of an overdose back in the rear area, so you can draw your own conclusions about the quality of recruitment and the contingent in our elite battalion. A local worker from the abandoned mine where we were billeted was supplying our soldiers with drugs."

"After the officer's death by overdose, Medvedev said, his body was dragged to the battle lines to be reported as killed in action, so that his family would not lose any benefits."

"Drug use on the battlefield has long been a feature of warfare. But modern technology, the proliferation of synthetic substances, and the deployment of convicted soldiers on both sides—many of whom struggled with substance abuse before the war—means narcotic consumption is common within Ukraine."

Drug abuse has emerged as a lesser-known crisis affecting soldiers on both sides of the Ukraine conflict. Russian troops, including those in elite battalions, struggle with substance abuse, with some soldiers dying from overdoses at the front. Commanders have allegedly covered up drug-related deaths by falsely reporting them as combat casualties to preserve family benefits. The problem stems from multiple factors: modern synthetic drugs, recruitment of soldiers with pre-existing substance abuse issues, and access to narcotics near military positions. Drug use in warfare is not new, but current conditions have made narcotic consumption increasingly common among Ukrainian and Russian forces.

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