The Russian military is reportedly redeploying wounded soldiers back to the battlefield, even those requiring crutches, as it faces mounting manpower shortages. According to multiple sources, including videos and testimonies, injured troops with bandaged limbs and severe impairments have been seen returning to combat zones.
Footage captured by Ukrainian drone operators and Russian troops depicts wounded men struggling to move, often targeted by Ukrainian forces as they attempt to flee. Reports suggest that Moscow is resorting to these extreme measures to sustain its military campaign without initiating a large-scale mobilization, which could provoke discontent among Russia’s urban middle class.
In one instance, a video recorded by Ukraine’s 59th brigade near Pokrovsk shows a Russian soldier hobbling with crutches, trying to find cover while a drone hovers overhead. Despite his slow movements, indicating awareness of imminent danger, he is ultimately struck by a mortar dropped from the drone.
Additional footage highlights cases where injured soldiers are forcibly taken from medical facilities and returned to the front. One soldier, seen being dragged from a hospital in Yeysk, protests, stating he had undergone surgery just a day earlier. Addressing the camera, he appeals to Russian citizens, revealing his fresh wounds, a missing finger, and his reliance on crutches for movement. He also describes an arduous eight-hour journey on rough roads back to the battlefield in Luhansk, alongside other injured soldiers displaying their own severe wounds.
Further evidence of this practice surfaced through videos shared by Russian military bloggers. In one clip, a unit, reportedly from the 20th Army, is filmed in a forest preparing for deployment. The man behind the camera expresses disbelief, stating that the injured soldiers are merely handed weapons and body armor before being sent back to the front lines. Among them, one soldier recounts his experience of being wounded multiple times, including suffering a severe brain injury, only to be deemed fit for unarmed service. Despite this, he is still assigned combat duties.
Observations from Ukrainian defense intelligence indicate that injured Russian troops have been appearing in combat areas with increasing frequency over the past six months. Analysts suggest that commanders are using these wounded soldiers to conceal losses and avoid logistical challenges in rotating fresh troops in and out of battle zones.
Some soldiers have managed to evade this grim fate. One Russian fighter, injured in clashes near Vovchansk, was granted limited medical treatment and a short leave. Fearing he would be sent back despite his wounds, he fled Russia. He revealed that many injured soldiers are merely treated with ointments rather than undergoing necessary surgical procedures, and those who regain partial mobility are quickly discharged.
According to him, those recovering near Moscow are placed in specialized units for amputees and severely injured personnel. Once deemed able-bodied, they are forced back into battle, with little opportunity to leave the unit. Some speculate that this policy is aimed at reducing compensation payouts to families, as missing soldiers do not qualify for financial support without physical proof of death.
Ukrainian officials have also recovered documents from fallen Russian soldiers, including medical reports listing severe head and body injuries, further corroborating claims that Moscow is recycling wounded troops in a desperate bid to sustain its war effort.
Leave a Reply