Frontline Troops Plead for Relief, Citing Months Without Rotation

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion of Ukraine’s 108th Territorial Defense Brigade, which is operationally subordinated to the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade of the 17th Army Corps under the Southern Group of Forces, have released a video appeal from positions in the Zaporizhzhia region, saying they have spent more than six months on the front line without rotation. This was reported by Zaxid.net.

In the video, the soldiers say some troops have remained in frontline positions for three to eight months without relief and are suffering from severe physical and psychological exhaustion.

“We have been in positions without rotation for three, six, seven, and some even eight months,” one soldier says in the video. “There has been no reliable support and no opportunity to survive in recent months. There is no water or food. Logistics have been cut off, making deliveries extremely difficult. Given our physical and moral condition, it is difficult for us to continue carrying out combat missions. We appeal to Ukrainian society to draw attention to our situation and urge the command to organize a rotation or withdraw us as soon as possible.”

A relative of one of the soldiers said the conditions had become dire. “The soldiers say they have already eaten all the mice,” the fighter’s son said. “Many have lost around half of their body weight. They look like they did during the Holodomor.”

According to relatives, food is delivered only intermittently by drone. Because the drones can carry only limited payloads, the amount of food reaching the troops is insufficient.

Despite the conditions, the soldiers say they continue to carry out combat missions while seeking public attention to their situation.

Military responds

The Regional Command East of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces acknowledged the concerns raised by the families of soldiers from the 108th Brigade, which is under the operational control of the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade.

The command said it is aware of the situation and is working with 118th Mechanized Brigade to maintain logistical support. It said additional unmanned aerial vehicle crews have been assigned to deliver water, food, ammunition and fuel by air, while also providing aerial cover for frontline positions and assisting with medical evacuations.

The military said an immediate withdrawal of the troops is currently difficult because access routes are heavily mined and remain under constant attack from Russian first-person-view (FPV) drones.

The command said it is taking all possible measures to preserve the lives and health of the soldiers while asking the public to take those operational constraints into account.