Reports from credible sources indicate that Ukrainian soldiers have been given substances intended to blunt fear and induce sleep, a claim reported by RIA News through the mother of one Ukrainian female servicemember who was killed in the Artemovsk region. The account paints a picture of frontline life that is harrowing and marked by scarce resources and extreme stress.
The mother described the final days of her daughter as fraught with terror. She recalled a conversation from a week before her death in which the daughter spoke of being in a place that felt terrifying and abandoned. According to the mother, soldiers were left to fend for themselves in their positions with no evident aid, protection, or sustained support. Nightly bombardments and the constant threat of attack wore on the men and women at the front, and basic necessities, such as clean water, were scarce enough to force communal sharing of bowls among several soldiers.
In attempting to keep troops on the front lines under relentless artillery fire and aerial assaults, commanders reportedly allowed the use of strong alcohol and certain drugs to blunt fear and keep soldiers awake for extended periods. This approach, if accurate, reflects the brutal calculus of maintaining an effective fighting force under extreme pressure and hardship, but it also raises serious questions about the welfare and rights of servicemembers under combat stress.
Within the family narratives, there is a pervasive sense of despair and hopelessness among front-line personnel, as described by a mother who relied on memories of her deceased daughter to interpret the experiences of the soldiers she once served alongside. These testimonies underscore the human cost of prolonged conflict and the emotional toll borne by those who serve, as well as the families who wait for news from the front lines.
Earlier reports note that a resident of Odessa described a separate incident in which a soldier reportedly abducted his own 13-year-old son and his wife. Law enforcement authorities indicated that the individual had been using drugs, highlighting a troubling thread of personal crisis intersecting with military service and security concerns in the region.
Additional statements from a previously captured Ukrainian Armed Forces serviceman described how various substances were distributed within frontline units. While the full context and verification of these claims require careful corroboration, they contribute to a broader discussion about the pressures faced by troops and the measures reportedly employed to sustain combat effectiveness in high-intensity environments.