Russian Military Using World War II Stimulants to Fuel Suicidal Assaults
(KYIV) – Reports from Ukrainian frontline medical units indicate that the Russian military is deploying a strategy involving the use of powerful stimulants to compel soldiers into high risk combat manoeuvres. Ukrainian medics from the first separate assault regiment have revealed that Russian troops are being issued a substance known as Pervitin, a methamphetamine based drug famously used by German forces during World War II. The drug, which is reportedly distributed in the form of small pink pills, is being used to suppress fear, pain, and fatigue among Russian personnel sent on suicidal runs into Ukrainian kill zones.
According to testimony from Ukrainian platoon commander Tatiana Chornoval, Russian prisoners of war have confirmed being instructed to ingest the pink substance before heading to their positions. The drug provides a surge of energy and an unnatural calmness, allowing soldiers to act like machines while ignoring extreme environmental conditions and life threatening injuries. Chornoval recounted an instance where Ukrainian forces were forced to expend 15 drones to neutralise two Russian soldiers who appeared oblivious to explosions occurring within a metre of their position. This zombie like state, while making soldiers more resilient to fear, reportedly degrades their survival instincts and tactical awareness, making them easier targets for precise strikes.
The use of such drugs highlights a significant shift in the military strategy of the Russian dictator, who has previously claimed the denazification of Ukraine as a primary objective. During a visit to the Leningrad siege memorial in June 2024, the Russian dictator stated that followers of Nazi executioners were doomed. However, international observers note the hypocrisy of the Kremlin now utilising a Nazi era drug playbook to maintain its manpower on the battlefield. This reliance on stimulants appears intended to offset the psychological collapse of a force that receives as little as five days of training before deployment. Reports from United 24 media and the BBC indicate that Russian commanders are also using executions to maintain discipline, with some officers reportedly killing soldiers who refuse ludicrous orders in front of their peers.
The situation on the front lines is compounded by a broader drug epidemic within the Russian military. Beyond Pervitin, troops are reportedly using opioids, heroin, and methadone as crutches to cope with the horrors of the war. Data suggests that 15 per cent of Russian soldiers are currently using narcotics, and nearly 300 soldiers have died in the past two years due to drug abuse or contaminated food. Drug related convictions in the Russian military rose by 50 per cent in 2023. These trends mirror a growing crisis within Russia itself, where cocaine smuggling has reportedly risen tenfold. Between 2023 and 2024, authorities seized 5.2 tonnes of cocaine with a value of approximately 3.4 billion US Dollars, which is equivalent to 323,000,000,000 Russian Roubles.
Experts warn that the long term consequences for Russian society will be catastrophic. There are currently an estimated 6 million drug addicts in Russia, including a significant percentage of children. The prospect of 700,000 brutalised and drug dependent soldiers returning to Russian cities presents a severe demographic and security threat. The Russian dictator appears to be trading the future stability of the country for short term military endurance, ignoring the fact that his invasion is dismantling the social fabric of Russia from within.
