Emaciated Soldier Photos Shock, Ukrainian Army Replaces Brigade Commander, Orders Mandatory Rotation
The Ukrainian military announced the replacement of some frontline unit commanders and the implementation of mandatory two-month rotations after photos of emaciated soldiers circulated online. However, given the ongoing manpower shortages, the enforceability of this order remains questionable.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 13:15
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Kyiv, May 4, comprehensive foreign reports) The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces replaced some frontline unit commanders after photos of emaciated soldiers circulated online, and announced mandatory two-month rotations for frontline units. However, for the grassroots Ukrainian army, which is still struggling with manpower shortages, it is questionable whether the order can be implemented.
Al Jazeera reported that Russia and Ukraine unilaterally announced a ceasefire today. Russia announced the ceasefire would be from May 8 to 9, coinciding with Russia's celebration of "Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War" (i.e., victory in World War II); Kyiv also announced that it would unilaterally implement a ceasefire from May 5 to 6.
The Kyiv Independent reported that the daughter of a soldier from the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 14th Mechanized Brigade recently posted photos of soldiers stationed at a position in Kharkiv Oblast, showing them emaciated, suspected of lacking food and water due to command dereliction of duty. She also revealed that some soldiers fainted from hunger and were forced to drink rainwater.
Another soldier's wife from the 14th Mechanized Brigade also posted on Facebook, stating that for the past 7 months, soldiers have been experiencing delays in food, water, basic medical supplies, and fuel replenishment, sometimes taking 7 to 14 days for supplies to arrive. Communication disruptions at frontline positions also often occur, sometimes lasting 3 to 4 days.
The Ukrainian General Staff subsequently replaced the commander of the 14th Mechanized Brigade, Anatolii Lysetskyi, with Taras Maksimov. However, Maksimov's stout physique was ridiculed, with jokes that his weight was more than three or four emaciated soldiers combined.
POLITICO previously revealed that due to the proliferation of drones, the "kill zone" on the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield is expanding, often forming a chaotic gray zone about 20 kilometers long, making it almost impossible to deliver ammunition, food, and water to frontline troops.
Reuters reported that Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi ordered on April 28 that officers and soldiers stationed in the foremost positions of frontline units must undergo mandatory two-month rotations. As the Russian-Ukrainian war enters its fifth year, Ukraine is suffering from manpower shortages, and there have been repeated reports that Ukrainian soldiers often endure shelling on the front lines for several months.
Syrskyi stated in a statement that on a 1200-kilometer front line, the new battlefield environment dominated by drones has made logistics more complex. "Commanders must ensure sufficient conditions for officers and soldiers to stay at their posts for a maximum of two months, after which mandatory rotations must be carried out, and the rotations should be completed within one month."
However, it is currently unclear whether the Ukrainian forces, which are short of personnel, will be able to implement Syrskyi's new order.
The Ukrainian military has faced manpower shortages for most of the war, accompanied by continuous reports of insufficient training and support, as well as crude methods used by conscription offices that resemble forced conscription, leading to a gradual decline in the willingness of Ukrainians to serve. (Compiler: Chen Yi-wei) 1150505
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(Central News Agency, Kyiv, May 4, comprehensive foreign reports) The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces replaced some frontline unit commanders after photos of emaciated soldiers circulated online, and announced mandatory two-month rotations for frontline units. However, for the grassroots Ukrainian army, which is still struggling with manpower shortages, it is questionable whether the order can be implemented.
Al Jazeera reported that Russia and Ukraine unilaterally announced a ceasefire today. Russia announced the ceasefire would be from May 8 to 9, coinciding with Russia's celebration of "Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War" (i.e., victory in World War II); Kyiv also announced that it would unilaterally implement a ceasefire from May 5 to 6.
The Kyiv Independent reported that the daughter of a soldier from the 2nd Mechanized Battalion of the 14th Mechanized Brigade recently posted photos of soldiers stationed at a position in Kharkiv Oblast, showing them emaciated, suspected of lacking food and water due to command dereliction of duty. She also revealed that some soldiers fainted from hunger and were forced to drink rainwater.
Another soldier's wife from the 14th Mechanized Brigade also posted on Facebook, stating that for the past 7 months, soldiers have been experiencing delays in food, water, basic medical supplies, and fuel replenishment, sometimes taking 7 to 14 days for supplies to arrive. Communication disruptions at frontline positions also often occur, sometimes lasting 3 to 4 days.
The Ukrainian General Staff subsequently replaced the commander of the 14th Mechanized Brigade, Anatolii Lysetskyi, with Taras Maksimov. However, Maksimov's stout physique was ridiculed, with jokes that his weight was more than three or four emaciated soldiers combined.
POLITICO previously revealed that due to the proliferation of drones, the "kill zone" on the Russian-Ukrainian battlefield is expanding, often forming a chaotic gray zone about 20 kilometers long, making it almost impossible to deliver ammunition, food, and water to frontline troops.
Reuters reported that Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi ordered on April 28 that officers and soldiers stationed in the foremost positions of frontline units must undergo mandatory two-month rotations. As the Russian-Ukrainian war enters its fifth year, Ukraine is suffering from manpower shortages, and there have been repeated reports that Ukrainian soldiers often endure shelling on the front lines for several months.
Syrskyi stated in a statement that on a 1200-kilometer front line, the new battlefield environment dominated by drones has made logistics more complex. "Commanders must ensure sufficient conditions for officers and soldiers to stay at their posts for a maximum of two months, after which mandatory rotations must be carried out, and the rotations should be completed within one month."
However, it is currently unclear whether the Ukrainian forces, which are short of personnel, will be able to implement Syrskyi's new order.
The Ukrainian military has faced manpower shortages for most of the war, accompanied by continuous reports of insufficient training and support, as well as crude methods used by conscription offices that resemble forced conscription, leading to a gradual decline in the willingness of Ukrainians to serve. (Compiler: Chen Yi-wei) 1150505
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "First-hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.