Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
A Ukrainian military officer said that the Kremlin doesn’t view it’s infantry as humans.
Reports from Ukrainian military sources suggest Russia has allegedly sent men with severe mental disabilities to fight on the frontlines, raising grave questions about the Kremlin’s recruitment tactics as the war nears its fourth year.
According to The Telegraph, Ukrainian intelligence has documented at least five incidents in which Russia deployed soldiers suffering from disabilities or serious illnesses.
Military analysts say the claims highlight Moscow’s willingness to sacrifice large numbers of troops in pursuit of territorial gains, despite mounting casualties.
Desperate strategies
British intelligence estimated last month that Russia has likely sustained more than 1.1 million casualties since the 2022 invasion began — including roughly 332,000 killed or wounded in 2025 alone.
Russia’s so-called “meat grinder” and “zombie wave” assaults — in which human waves of troops are sent to overwhelm Ukrainian defences — have been extensively reported.
These tactics, while gaining ground in some sectors, have also led to devastating losses across the Russian ranks.
A Ukrainian commander, speaking anonymously to The Telegraph, said senior officers had identified at least two mentally disabled Russians sent to the battlefield.
Additional cases were recorded by the Ukrainian Security and Cooperation Centre, and one incident was reportedly captured on video circulating online.
A soldier unfit for war
One case involved 27-year-old Semyon Karmanov, who, according to the report, had been diagnosed in childhood with an “intellectual disability with significant behavioural disorders requiring care and treatment.”
Despite his condition, a prison medical board classified him as “Category A” — fit for service.
He was allegedly transferred from a prison to a training facility in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine and assigned as a “driver,” though his mother said he could neither read nor drive.
The Telegraph reported that Karmanov was killed on the frontline earlier this autumn.
Numbers over skill
A Ukrainian military officer identified only as Anna told The Telegraph that Russia’s approach relies on overwhelming manpower rather than equipment or strategy.
“The difference is the unrelenting waves of help,” she said. “Every soldier is a tool to either acquire land or die trying, all the better if they take us with them. The partners and public must realise that the Kremlin doesn’t view its infantry as humans but chattels.”
Heavy toll continues
The reports add to growing evidence of Russia’s extreme measures to replenish its ranks, following widespread losses among professional soldiers and prisoners pressed into service.
As the conflict grinds on, experts warn the strategy could deepen the humanitarian crisis and further erode morale on both sides.
Sources: The Telegraph, Reuters, BBC, AP
This article is made and published by Jens Asbjørn Bogen, who may have used AI in the preparation
