Kathrine Frich
A growing number of Ukrainian officers say Russian assault teams are being thrown into battle with almost no protective gear.
Reports gathered by The Telegraph describe a pattern that has steadily expanded in recent months along several front-line sectors.
Eyewitness accounts and shared battlefield footage point to infantry units advancing without helmets, armor or even basic supplies, often under heavy fire.
Rising front-line risks
According to The Telegraph, Ukrainian commanders monitoring the Lyman axis have seen the practice become routine. They say troops are frequently struck before reaching defensive positions.
Igor Komok, deputy commander of Ukraine’s 66th Brigade, told the outlet that “out of 20 assault groups observed recently, only four had helmets.”
His units have released video material they say confirms the lack of equipment among Russian fighters.
Officers describe Russia’s reliance on massed infantry attacks, sometimes supported by drones or motorcycles, even when conditions make such operations especially costly.
Punitive deployments
The Telegraph reports that Russian soldiers themselves have spoken of being reassigned to assault units for minor disciplinary issues, including carrying too little water.
Once transferred, they are often pushed forward without proper gear.
Some accounts say troops are told to collect weapons or armor from the dead during combat.
Others describe shortages so severe that soldiers resorted to eating tree bark, and requests for food were treated as extortion attempts.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials say strict internal discipline does not seem to translate into better logistical support or improved survival prospects for front-line personnel.
Widespread pattern
Dmytro Zhmailo of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation told The Telegraph that similar conditions have been documented well beyond Lyman.
He linked the shortages to Russia’s mounting casualties and wider economic constraints that limit the supply of basic equipment.
Zhmailo said the deployments highlight Moscow’s continued use of expendable forces.
“The scale of losses has exceeded the supply capacity of the Russian military,” he noted, pointing to reports of wounded or unarmed troops being dispatched back into combat.
Troubling earlier reports
Previous assessments by Ukrainian intelligence indicated that Russia had also mobilized mentally disabled and medically unfit men.
Footage cited by Ukrainian agencies showed confused, frail recruits with severe psychiatric conditions being forced into front-line roles, many dying shortly after arrival.
Sources: The Telegraph, united24media.
