Russian Troops Accused of Eating Comrades on the Front Line

Russian soldiers fighting in eastern Ukraine have been accused of cannibalism after running out of food during the winter, according to intelligence material.

Military intelligence officers reported evidence of multiple incidents where soldiers allegedly consumed human flesh. The claims are linked to periods of deep winter when supply lines were difficult to maintain and soldiers suffered from severe malnutrition.

Evidence of Cannibalism Allegations

One detailed case allegedly occurred near Myrnohrad in the Donetsk region in November 2025. A Russian infantryman with the call sign “Khromoy” was reportedly caught after killing two soldiers and attempting to eat the leg of one of them.

Khromoy was identified as a member of the 95th Regiment of the 5th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, part of the 51st Guards Combined Arms Army. Reports indicate he was found in a basement with a meat grinder, attempting to process human remains.

AI detection software analyzed photos from the scene and determined they were not artificially generated or altered. An independent conflict surgeon who reviewed an image of a severed leg stated the injury appeared to be caused by a sharp knife rather than an explosion or shrapnel.

Other reports include a soldier with the call sign “Most” from the 54th Motorized Rifle Regiment, who complained about a comrade eating a corpse near Bakhmut. Additionally, a commander of the 1437th Motorized Rifle Regiment reportedly accused a subordinate near Pokrovsk of eating Ukrainians.

Further evidence includes a December 11 order from the chief of staff of the 55th Motorized Rifle Brigade, which explicitly forbade alcohol, drugs, and cannibalism. A separate phone call recorded last year allegedly detailed a soldier named “Brelok” who killed and ate another soldier over a period of two weeks.

Systemic Logistic Failures

The incidents appear to be linked to extreme food shortages. Internal communications between Russian officers describe troops as “skinny” and surviving on “starvation rations.”

Russian soldiers have repeatedly complained of being abandoned for weeks without basic supplies. Some troops were reportedly issued meal rations that had expired as far back as 2002, forcing others to loot grocery stores and private homes to survive.

Experts note that fighting in urban battlefields limits options for foraging or hunting. The strain on sustainment increased as Russia expanded its military presence in Ukraine to approximately 710,000 troops by the end of 2025.

Logistic networks have been further compromised by drone strikes targeting train depots and storage facilities. Resupply vehicles are particularly vulnerable due to a lack of armor and reliance on predictable road networks.

Military analysts suggest that the sharp increase in infantry numbers required a matching rise in supplies that the Russian army failed to provide during the severe winter months.