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Russian Forces Suffer Mass Alcohol Poisoning in Zaporizhzhia Direction, Ukraine Reports
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Ukrainian military intelligence has intercepted communications indicating losses within Russian forces on the Orikhiv direction in Zaporizhzhia region following a mass poisoning allegedly caused by alcohol consumption.
The recording was published by the Main Directorate of Intelligence of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense on Facebook on May 20.
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According to the intercepted conversation, the incident occurred within units of the 166th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade of the 19th Motor Rifle Division of Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army, operating in the Orikhiv sector of the frontline.
In the recording, one Russian serviceman describes a situation in which a significant number of soldiers allegedly died after consuming poisoned alcohol at one of the observation posts. His interlocutor confirms that approximately eight to ten bodies were present at the site and adds that they had not been evacuated for at least five to six days.
“And ours and the allies were neatly laid out, covered with sleeping bags,” he says in the recording, referring to the bodies remaining at the position.
The incident comes amid broader reports of alcohol-related problems within Russian units operating in the same sector.
A Russian airborne formation deployed in the Zaporizhzhia direction is reportedly facing a severe breakdown in discipline due to widespread alcohol abuse, which has resulted in fatalities and increased risks for other servicemen, according to a Telegram statement by the Ukrainian partisan movement ATESH.
The movement claims that the 108th Air Assault Brigade of Russia’s armed forces has reached what it describes as a “critical state,” where alcohol consumption has become systematic and normalized within the unit. The group says the issue has worsened with the onset of colder weather.
“At the approach of winter, the daily need for alcohol has transformed the unit into a formation incapable of fulfilling combat duties,” ATESH stated. “The so-called ‘100 grams’ have become liters, and the brigade has turned into a hub of alcoholism.”
ATESH also alleges that newly arrived Russian soldiers have died not in combat but as a result of alcohol poisoning caused by surrogate or low-quality alcoholic products.
Additionally, the partisan movement has reported a significant decline in morale among Russian forces deployed along the Kupiansk axis, attributing it to growing casualties and signs of disintegration within frontline units.
In a statement the group said an embedded source within Russia’s 1st Tank Army described the psychological state of servicemen as critical. According to the report, personnel are under prolonged strain following more than two years of continuous combat operations, with mounting pressure severely affecting their condition and effectiveness.
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