Myrnohrad Front Records Fifth Case of Russian Cannibalism

(DONETSK OBLAST) – Ukrainian military intelligence has obtained evidence indicating that Russian soldiers have engaged in cannibalism amid severe food shortages on the frontline. The Sunday Times reported on at least five separate incidents, citing intercepted audio messages and photographs provided by Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence.

One episode occurred in November 2025 near Myrnohrad in Donetsk Oblast. An infantryman with the call sign “Lame” from the 95th Regiment of the 5th Separate Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade killed two fellow soldiers and attempted to consume part of one victim’s leg. An unnamed officer relayed the details in Telegram correspondence to Vladislav Razikov, deputy commander of the brigade’s reconnaissance battalion. The officer also transmitted a photograph of a severed limb. Specialised software analysis found no evidence of digital manipulation or generation, according to The Sunday Times.

An independent military surgeon who reviewed the image concluded that the injuries were not consistent with combat wounds and were likely inflicted by a sharp object. In an audio message, the officer described the event as an “incident”, stating that the soldier was discovered in a basement attempting to butcher human remains. The soldier allegedly opened fire during an arrest attempt and was killed. The same officer complained that his troops were on “starvation rations” and severely emaciated.

Additional intercepted conversations reference further cases. In April 2025, a serviceman with the call sign “Most” informed a commander about a colleague who had “eaten human meat”. In October 2025, the commander of the 1437th Motorised Rifle Regiment accused a subordinate of similar acts and ordered him to stop “eating people”. Separately, the chief of staff of the 55th Motorised Rifle Brigade issued a directive explicitly prohibiting cannibalism alongside alcohol and drug use.

Ukrainian officials report that a growing number of captured Russian personnel are citing food shortages. Bradley Martin, a former United States Navy captain and analyst at the Rand Corporation, noted that reports of Russian supply failures appear credible, adding that troop sustenance is not a priority for the Russian military command.