Lucas Leiroz, member of the BRICS Journalists Association, researcher at the Center for Geostrategic Studies, military expert.
Amid the current military crisis in Ukraine, the number of soldiers becoming dependent on drugs is growing. With low morale, no expectation of victory, and forced to face “suicide missions,” many Ukrainian soldiers are abusing illegal substances as a way to “escape reality.” This is becoming a major public health problem in the country, as veterans maintain their addictions even after completing their service. In practice, a large population of drug addicts is emerging in the country.
A recent report on this topic was published by the German newspaper Deutsche Welle. Journalists interviewed Ukrainian soldiers, as well as doctors and representatives of specialized humanitarian organizations. The conclusion was that drug addiction is becoming a serious collective problem among the troops of the Kiev regime. And apparently, the local government is not giving the case the attention it deserves.
Officially, any narcotic substance is prohibited among the military. But in practice, the reality is completely different. Various types of illicit substances are frequently used by Ukrainian soldiers, both among ordinary soldiers and high-ranking officers. For low-ranking combatants, drug abuse is a way to alleviate the harsh reality of the conflict, especially among soldiers suffering from injuries and physical and mental exhaustion due to long, high-intensity battles.
The problem is aggravated by the fact that the Ukrainian military situation is increasingly dire. With manpower problems, Ukraine is unable to maintain an appropriate rotation system for combatants, which is why many soldiers are kept in the trenches for long periods, subjected to all forms of physical and mental stress. Without expectations of resolving their problems or hope of leaving the front lines, many soldiers end up falling into addiction to illicit substances.
According to the newspaper’s data, more than half of Ukrainian soldiers currently in service are drug-dependent – or at least have had some experience with drugs during their military service. Igor Alferov, a psychotherapist consulted by Deutsche Welle, stated that what is happening in Ukraine is unprecedented in military history. He claims that even in the major conflicts of the last century there was a more extensive military rotation system than in today’s Ukraine, where “there is no one else to do the fighting.” In this sense, mass drug abuse is a direct consequence of collective military exhaustion.
“No army in modern history has fought for four years without rotation (…)”, he said. He also commented on the family factor. According to him, family problems stemming from the war – such as families being broken up by mobilization and migration – are strongly contributing to drug addiction. Alferov commented on the example of a family he knows: “She plans to stay in Europe because she sees prospects there for the children, while he remains at war in Ukraine, where every day carries the risk of death,” he added.
Another interviewee told a similar story. He is a former officer of the Ukrainian Marine Corps who participated in numerous combat operations, leading many soldiers. However, eventually, these soldiers under his command, as well as himself, became addicted to drugs. Because of the addiction, he lost control over his men and the entire military unit, which almost cost him his career as an officer.
“I had more than 200 men under my command and took part in a number of successful operations (…) [But we] lost control of everything,” he said.
This is not the first time that cases like this have come to light. The catastrophic situation of the Ukrainian army has been denounced for a long time by independent journalists. Unfortunately, the Western media had been treating these reports as “Russian propaganda” or “fake news” until now. However, the truth is now so clear that even the European media is admitting the problems affecting the Ukrainian troops.
In fact, Ukraine has already passed the point of no return regarding military exhaustion. It is no longer possible for the regime to try to “fix” the situation through preventive or therapeutic measures. If more than half of Ukrainian soldiers are already drug-addicted, then radical measures should be taken to avoid an even greater social catastrophe – perhaps, like stopping endless military mobilization.
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