An “extremely high” number of Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine are thought to be dying due to alcohol abuse, The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said.
In its latest defence intelligence briefing on Russia’s war in Ukraine, the department said “pervasive alcohol abuse” among Russian troops is reportedly leading to many deaths, along with other “non-combat” causes such as hypothermia.
Its intelligence update, released on Sunday, said: “While Russia has suffered up to 200,000 casualties since its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a significant minority of these have been due to non-combat causes.
“On March 27, 2023, a Russian Telegram news channel reported there have been ‘extremely high’ numbers of incidents, crimes, and deaths linked to alcohol consumption amongst the deployed Russian forces.
Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine - 02 April 2023.
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“Other leading causes of non-combat casualties likely include poor weapon handing drills, road traffic accidents and climatic injuries such as hypothermia.
“Russian commanders likely identify pervasive alcohol abuse as particularly detrimental to combat effectiveness.
“However, with heavy drinking pervasive across much of Russian society, it has long been seen as a tacitly accepted part of military life, even on combat operations.”
Russia’s war in Ukraine has been rumbling on for more than a year, since February 24, 2022.
Sunday saw well-known Russian military blogger Vladlen Tatarsky killed by a bomb blast in a St Petersburg cafe, in what appeared to be the second assassination on Russian soil of a figure closely associated with the war.
Russia‘s state Investigative Committee said it had opened a murder investigation. State-owned RIA news agency said 25 people were wounded and 19 of them were being treated in hospital.
A leading Russian official pointed the finger at Ukraine, without providing evidence. A Ukrainian presidential adviser said “domestic terrorism” was breaking out in Russia.
