Tuberculosis crisis hits Putin's army as hospitalized soldiers surge
The Russian military is facing a significant issue: Putin's army is being heavily affected by tuberculosis. Soldiers are not receiving proper treatment; instead, they are simply being sent to the front line. How did this epidemic spread?
The problem was highlighted by the independent Russian service Tochka. According to journalists, the Burdenko hospital in the town of Pushkino, located in the Moscow region, is bursting at the seams. The hospital mainly accommodates soldiers suffering from tuberculosis, with reports indicating that over a thousand military personnel are being treated.
The Tochka service provides the example of 38-year-old Yevgeny, who has been fighting in the war since 2022. Yevgeny had previously suffered from tuberculosis. Initially, his commanders were unwilling to consider his hospitalization. For three months, the soldier insisted on the need to be examined.
- The command did not respond to complaints. They explained: you're a coward, you just don't want to go on a mission - TVP Info cites the Tochka service.
When Yevgeny finally received a diagnosis, he was sent to the Burdenko hospital for four months.
- There was overcrowding, so they implemented a strict regime. Those who started drinking alcohol were simply thrown out. If someone violated the rules, it meant they did not want to be treated and were automatically sent back to the front - Yevgeny explains.
According to the 38-year-old, tuberculosis began to spread when prisoners from the gulags were recruited into the Russian army. Tuberculosis is a very common disease in penal colonies. Primarily, these prisoners were sent to the so-called Wagner Group.
Even though the Russian Ministry of Defense officially banned the Wagnerites from recruiting prisoners and individuals with tuberculosis, in practice, this restriction is often ignored due to significant shortages on the front.
