Ukraine’s defence ministry has fired a top commander after photos emerged of a group of emaciated soldiers who have been left on the frontline for months without proper food and water.

The scandal erupted after the wife of one of the soldiers, Anastasiia Silchuk, posted the images on social media. The four men appeared to be pale and visibly malnourished, with prominent ribcages and thin arms. An emaciated soldier standing with his shirt off The fourth soldier. Photograph: i.petrovna_/Threads

The soldiers had spent eight months defending a shrinking bulge of territory on the left bank of the Oskil River, near the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, their relatives said. Supplies of food and medicines could only be flown in by drone.

“When the lads arrived at the frontlines, they weighed over 80–90kg. But now they weigh around 50kg,” Silchuk posted. After one delivery, she said, no more food turned up for 10 days. The soldiers were forced to drink rainwater and melt snow to survive.

  • subversive_dev@lemmy.ml
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    23 hours ago

    I thought Ukraine was winning the war and to say otherwise is Russian propaganda? What gives, The Guardian?

    • Scipitie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      22 hours ago

      “here’s someone who fucked up big time. We report it and there are these consequences”.

      This isn’t even about war performance at all?

      • subversive_dev@lemmy.ml
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        22 hours ago

        The level of logistic collapse you need to get soldiers this emaciated is far beyond the failure of a single individual. This is absolutely evidence of the systemic collapse of the UA that every realist has been saying is inevitable for years.

        Also, if anyone was paying attention, this is Kupiansk - does everyone remember the big propaganda push with Zelensky taking that selfie in front of the sign? Did it trail off to an embarrassed whisper like every single other of these propaganda pushes?

        • Kissaki@beehaw.org
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          21 hours ago

          with Zelensky taking that selfie in front of the sign

          Is that the one where Russia posted photos, claiming they took over the city, and then Zelenski went there to clearly and undeniably demonstrate that it’s not under Russian control?

          • paranoia@feddit.dk
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            18 hours ago

            I appreciate the effort but make sure you don’t waste too much time on a .ml tankie.

          • subversive_dev@lemmy.ml
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            19 hours ago

            Funny you should put it like that. Where is that sign in relation to the city center, especially the all-important bridge over the Oskil River?