‘Drank melted snow to stay alive’: Ukraine fires top commander after photos reveal starving frontline soldiers

‘Weight dropped from 90 kg to 50 kg’

Silchuk wrote: “When the men went to the front, they weighed about 80–90 kg. Now they are around 50 kg.” She said after one delivery, no more food arrived for 10 days. The soldiers had to drink rainwater and melt snow to stay alive.

She further added, “The longest they went without food was 17 days. No one listened to them on the radio, or maybe no one wanted to. My husband kept asking for help, saying there was no food or water.” She said this was not just one case.

Another relative, Ivanna Poberezhnyuk, said the soldiers from the 14th Separate Mechanised Brigade were in a very bad situation. “Some are fainting from hunger,” she said. Her father was taken away from the area, but others were still stuck there, reports the Guardian. 

Ukraine’s general staff admits supply problems 

On the firing of the top commander in the Army, Ukraine’s general staff said that they had replaced the commander who was responsible for feeding the soldiers. The brigade admitted there were supply problems and said food could only be delivered by air because the position was very close to enemy lines, reported the Guardian. 

A spokesperson said, “Everything is done by drones. The Russians closely watch food, fuel and ammunition deliveries. They try to shoot down as many as they can. Sometimes they target supplies more than military equipment.”

Silchuk said conditions have improved since the issue became public. “There is a new commander,” she wrote. “He told us the problem is being fixed. My husband said he has just eaten more than he has in the last eight months.”

She said the soldiers are now eating slowly because their stomachs have become smaller. “They still don’t know if they will have food tomorrow. This needed to be made public. The men need to be rotated and given medical care,” she added.

Ukraine’s military says ‘investigation ongoing’

Ukraine’s military said it has started an investigation. It also said more food has been sent to the brigade, and if possible, the soldiers will be evacuated soon.

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022 under Vladimir Putin, the area between the two sides has grown. Both sides use drones a lot for watching and attacking. Soldiers often have to walk 10–15 km to reach their positions.

In recent months, Ukraine has started using more unmanned ground robots to carry supplies and move injured soldiers. In the Kupiansk area, Russia has destroyed bridges across the Oskil River to cut off Ukrainian forces.