Ukrainian Troops Starved as Commanders Hid Food Crisis

By Staff, Agencies

Ukraine’s General Staff removed one army commander and demoted another after images of severely undernourished infantrymen surfaced online.

The soldiers served in the 14th brigade, and the two officers responsible for the men were accused of not reporting the situation to higher command, POLITICO reported.

Soldiers of the second battalion near the Oskil River in Kharkov were drinking rainwater and fainting from hunger, while officers of the 14th brigade focused on air defenses but failed to report the dire conditions to military leadership.

The General Staff said systematic enemy air and missile strikes on crossings over the Oskil River have severely disrupted logistics near Kupiansk, with supplies now delivered by boats and heavy UAVs.

It further stated that it was unaware of the Brigade's issues with food supplies and confirmed it launched an investigation into the commanders' behavior.

As for the soldiers affected, "as soon as the situation allows, they will be evacuated," the General Staff assured.

Ukraine’s Joint Forces Task Force condemned the situation as a “horrible management shame,” blaming long-term command failures and misleading reports that masked the reality on the ground.

It said urgent supplies are being sent to the 14th brigade and warned commanders against concealing problems, stressing that protecting soldiers must come first.

The 14th brigade said its new commander, Colonel Taras Maksimov, is taking urgent steps to address the crisis, stressing that soldiers’ lives are the top priority and that the situation remains under close monitoring.

Earlier reports indicated expanding drone warfare has created a “gray zone” up to 20 km deep, severely disrupting the delivery of food, water, and ammunition to frontline troops.