this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2026

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Ukrainian soldiers left emaciated on frontline from lack of food and water (www.theguardian.com)

submitted 3 weeks ago by Powderhorn@beehaw.org to c/news@beehaw.org

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Ukraine’s defence ministry has fired a top commander after photos emerged of a group of emaciated soldiers who have been left on the frontline for months without proper food and water.

The scandal erupted after the wife of one of the soldiers, Anastasiia Silchuk, posted the images on social media. The four men appeared to be pale and visibly malnourished, with prominent ribcages and thin arms. An emaciated soldier standing with his shirt off The fourth soldier. Photograph: i.petrovna_/Threads

The soldiers had spent eight months defending a shrinking bulge of territory on the left bank of the Oskil River, near the north-eastern Ukrainian city of Kupiansk, their relatives said. Supplies of food and medicines could only be flown in by drone.

“When the lads arrived at the frontlines, they weighed over 80–90kg. But now they weigh around 50kg,” Silchuk posted. After one delivery, she said, no more food turned up for 10 days. The soldiers were forced to drink rainwater and melt snow to survive.

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[–] Kissaki@beehaw.org 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Russia has employed lying in propaganda in and out of the context of war since the beginning and before it. I don't see that as any meaningful measure. You have to look for the facts and indications beyond the propaganda without being distracted by the propaganda or trying to meta-analyze it. Both sides will try to make their spins, and try to exaggerate and paint to the maximum of their ability in their respective environments.

For Russia, smoke screening is part of its narratives and political defense. I haven't noticed such systematic lying beyond what I would expect in wartime propaganda from Ukraine.

Press landscape is its own share of issues and part of what makes propaganda so important, effective, and necessary.

[–] Transform2942@lemmy.ml 0 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Russia has employed lying in propaganda in and out of the context of war since the beginning and before it

Such as?

You have to look for the facts and indications beyond the propaganda without being distracted by the propaganda or trying to meta-analyze it.

How exactly would that work? Are you assuming that there is some objective truth that is somehow magically outside the realm of propaganda? How would we access this truth?

I haven't noticed such systematic lying beyond what I would expect in wartime propaganda from Ukraine.

How about overstating Russian casualties by at least 6 to 1? How about celebrating and crowing about the disastrous counter-offensive in Kursk? What about completely ridiculous and insane air defense shoot down percentages they claim even while not having any air defense interceptors?

Press landscape is its own share of issues and part of what makes propaganda so important, effective, and necessary.

I completely agree that propaganda is an essential front in war. Do you actually believe that the media is in any way independent from that? Have you observed that Western outlets simply cite Ukrainian propaganda uncritically? (see: Russian casualties as a glaring example)

Ukraine has losses, but, with its limited resources, Ukraine is also very successful in defending

No, this is incorrect. When the war started, Ukraine massively outnumbered Russian forces on the field. (Roughly 800k versus 200k). Over the course of this war they have squandered every advantage by literally fighting like Nazis. By that I mean refusing to withdraw from positions being encircled and wave after wave of hopeless counter-attacks that are accelerating their force attrition. Even Sirski is forced to admit that the UA is shrinking, while the number of Russian forces in the field is growing.

and striking into Russia.

Yet Russian oil exports continue to grow. Perhaps these attacks on Russian energy infrastructure are not as successful as the Western media would have you believe.

And to retain support, they have to utilize propaganda/publicity, to stay in the public and international eye, and continue to receive support. And they're very effective in that too.

I certainly agree that Ukraine has been effective in promulgating their propaganda narratives in the western press. Of course they have a lot of help from Western intelligence

[–] Kissaki@beehaw.org 2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Even Sirski is forced to admit that the UA is shrinking, while the number of Russian forces in the field is growing.

Yet they're still successfully defending and countering. Which was my point. So I don't see how that was incorrect.

Yet Russian oil exports continue to grow.

Where do you source this from?

https://energyandcleanair.org/march-2026-monthly-analysis-of-russian-fossil-fuel-exports-and-sanctions/

Ukraine’s drone strikes have reduced Russian oil exports at Baltic ports by 53% as of the end of March

[–] Transform2942@lemmy.ml 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Yet they're still successfully defending and countering. Which was my point

I wouldn't define success as losing an attrition war as the defender, personally

Re: oil exports, The latest report from the IEA is for March and it shows an increase in total volume alongside a doubling of revenue

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/russia-s-oil-export-revenue-surged-in-march-iea-says/ar-AA20Rhef

[–] Kissaki@beehaw.org 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I still don't see them losing. no idea where you get that from. Russia is on its last leg. Economy, citizen dissatisfaction, even Russian war propaganda bloggers voice significant concern about Russias state.

Ukraine still holds their lines, and just secured their huge EU loan.

Meanwhile, Russia sells its gold reserve, has mass closure of companies, record deficit in the public and linked private sectors. And their central refinery 1500 km from the front is on fire. Their oil exports aren't gonna get any better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7jCi3mOUXQ&t=42s

[–] Transform2942@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Like.... Do you really want to get into this?

The entire mainstream Western media is reporting the war in lockstep with what their handlers in the intelligence services tell them they can report. And of course, you will literally dismiss that out of hand because you think only the Russians have propaganda....

If you're willing to even consider the possibility that you have been lied to about this war for 12 years, maybe we could get somewhere. But if you're just going to call me a Russian bot or whatever let's just skip it