- Category
- Latest news
Cannibalism Reported Among Russian Soldiers Amid Food Shortages, Ukrainian Intel Says
- Authors
![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ukrainian military intelligence has documented several alleged cases of cannibalism among Russian soldiers fighting in eastern Ukraine, reportedly linked to food shortages during the winter months.
We bring you stories from the ground. Your support keeps our team in the field.
According to The Sunday Times on April 25, the report is based on Ukrainian intelligence materials, including photographs and intercepted audio communications between Russian officers.
Ukrainian sources told The Sunday Times they had evidence of at least five incidents in which Russian servicemen were said to have consumed the bodies of fellow soldiers. However, The Sunday Times notes it was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the materials, while Russia has dismissed the claims as fabricated.
One of the alleged incidents took place in November 2025 near the frontline town of Myrnohrad in Donetsk region.
In intercepted communications reviewed by The Sunday Times, a Russian infantryman identified by the callsign “Khromoy” was reported to have killed two fellow soldiers and attempted to eat part of one of the bodies.
An officer described the situation in a voice message as follows: “In short, one ally killed two others and he tried … he cut off a leg and was already trying to eat one of them.”
The same communication states that the soldier was later located in a basement where he had allegedly taken the bodies.
“They went and found the place where he had taken them to the basement, cut off a leg and was already, through a meat grinder or something, sitting there, turning it, trying to eat,” the officer said. According to the report, the suspect opened fire when approached and was subsequently killed.
Images associated with the case were analyzed using specialized software, which did not detect signs of manipulation. An independent surgeon cited in the report said the injuries visible in one photograph did not resemble battlefield trauma, stating: “It doesn’t look like a blast or fragment injury… It looks like it has been cut with a sharp knife.”
Additional intercepted conversations reference other alleged incidents. In one case, a Russian soldier complained about sharing a position with a comrade who, according to him, “ate a corpse, human meat.”
-3621dd46003619430f0a7bec459d9f2f.jpg)
In another exchange, a unit commander reprimanded a subordinate, saying: “Stop f***ing eating people.” A separate message reportedly included a direct order from a staff officer banning “No alcohol! No drugs! … No cannibalism!”
Ukrainian intelligence officials said the materials were obtained through monitoring of communications on Telegram. Such intercepts have been published previously by Ukrainian authorities, though their authenticity is regularly disputed by Russia.
Earlier, Ukraine’s military intelligence reported that Russian commanders were ordering wounded soldiers to remain on the frontline without evacuation in the Pokrovsk direction. An intercepted conversation between servicemen from the 439th Motorized Rifle Regiment indicated that critically injured personnel were left in place, with commanders stating that withdrawal was “not an option.”
Discuss this article:
-9a7b3a98ed5c506e0b77a6663f5727c5.png)
-72b63a4e0c8c475ad81fe3eed3f63729.jpeg "Photo of Cyril Barabaltchouk")
-d627bed20f81c10542be183b41dee6bd.png "Ukraine’s TAF Industries and Finland’s Summa Defence Partner to Expand Drone Production")
-c439b7bd9030ecf9d5a4287dc361ba31.jpg "Photo of Katherina Popilnichenko")
