Soldiers from the 14th Mechanized Brigade, assigned to the 30th Brigade, were stationed in their area of responsibility near Kupiansk. Photos of exhausted soldiers began circulating online, and their relatives informed the media of a critical shortage of food supplies.
One woman said that her husband, a soldier, like other fighters, had been stationed at their positions without food or water for 10 to 17 days, which had seriously affected their health. It is known that some of them lost consciousness due to lack of food. Supply problems have persisted since last December, and most soldiers have lost weight, dropping from 80–90 kilograms to approximately 50 kilograms.
The soldiers had no contact with their families, which made it impossible to send them care packages. According to them, radio communication was unavailable.
Explanation from the General Staff
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attributes the situation to logistical problems in the area of responsibility of the 14th Mechanized Brigade, as Russian troops are constantly shelling the territory. Food was delivered by heavy drones and other means across the Oskol River.
The command of the 14th Mechanized Brigade did not report on the actual state of affairs, so a decision was made to make personnel changes. "Personnel decisions have been made to rectify the situation. Specifically, the commander of the 14th Mechanized Brigade has been relieved of his duties, and the commander of the 10th Army Corps has been removed from his post and reassigned to a lower rank," the General Staff stated.
New appointments and promises of an investigation
The General Staff promises to conduct an internal investigation into the incident to establish all the circumstances and causes of the supply crisis.
