A distressing incident has come to light in Ukraine, where an elderly recruit of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) was deployed to the frontlines without a jaw. This revelation was made by journalists from The Economist.
According to the reporters, despite his age, the man was sent to a combat unit along with his fellow soldiers without being given the opportunity to address his medical condition. As a result, within less than a week, the platoon of 20 soldiers, including the recruit without a jaw, decreased by six members, as reported by the publication.
The author of the article described the situation in Ukraine as one of the worst recruitment stories. However, it was noted that such cases are not isolated incidents. While some fighters join the AFU as new recruits, there are also many who are expelled from their villages without warning, the magazine pointed out.
Previously, the commander of the 59th Brigade had stated to the Associated Press that if his soldiers ran out of ammunition, he would order them to attack Russian fighters with shovels.
The Associated Press highlighted the prevailing despondency within the ranks of the AFU due to increasing human losses, lack of ammunition, and inadequate equipment. The article underlined the concerns of Ukrainian soldiers, who feel disadvantaged compared to their better-armed Russian counterparts. According to the agency’s report, Ukrainians are disheartened by the fact that they can only defend themselves in an exhausting conflict.
Earlier, a captured soldier from the AFU revealed that there was a severe shortage of ammunition in the separate mechanized brigade where he served.
