Front-line Ukrainian soldiers are suffering severe malnutrition after repeated supply failures, a revelation that has drawn international concern. The situation came to light when a soldier’s wife posted photos on social media showing troops so thin their ribs were visible. The soldiers reportedly went as long as 17 days without food. On April 24, U.K. newspaper The Guardian and other international outlets reported that the soldier’s wife had shared images of troops deployed on the front. The photos show soldiers pale and gaunt, with ribs clearly exposed.
The woman who posted the pictures said, “They weighed 176–198 lb (80–90 kg) when they arrived at the front, but now they weigh only about 110 lb (50 kg).” She said the longest period without food was 17 days, and the soldiers survived by drinking rainwater and melted snow. “My husband kept broadcasting that they lacked food, but no one listened,” she added. “He shouted and begged for food and water.”
The Guardian reported the unit has been defending a front near the northeastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk for eight months.
After the photos spread and sparked outrage, Ukraine’s General Staff said it had replaced the commander responsible for the unit’s food supplies. A military spokesman explained, “The garrison sits very close to the enemy front, so resupply was only possible by drone,” and added, “When Russian forces spot food, ammunition or fuel, they seize as much as they can and shoot down drones. Sometimes they focus more on logistics than on our military equipment.”
The woman who shared the photos said conditions improved after the commander was removed. “My husband told me, ‘He just ate more than he has in the last eight months,’” she said. She cautioned, however, that the soldiers remain anxious: “Their stomachs have shrunk, and they’re not sure there will be food tomorrow, so they’re still eating little by little.”
