Journalists have documented at least 319 cases in which Russian soldiers, despite suffering severe injuries, were sent back to the front line before their treatment was complete.
According to researchers from the Veter project, such cases have been documented since 2022.
In most instances, soldiers had already been returned to the combat zone, while in others, they were being prepared for or threatened with being sent back.
The authors of the investigation note that over 80% of the documented cases involved the forced return of soldiers to the front lines.
At the same time, some of the wounded agreed to return voluntarily, even before completing their treatment or despite having a disability.
The report emphasizes that the actual number of such cases could be significantly higher, as many stories do not reach the public.
One of the subjects of the investigation was Ivan D. from Yekaterinburg. The man signed a contract with the Russian Ministry of Defense in 2023.
A year later, Ivan suffered a severe shrapnel wound to his leg. After surgery, he could only move with the help of crutches, but instead of further treatment, he was returned to his military unit.
In March 2025, he sustained a second severe injury. A shrapnel fragment damaged his kidney and intestines, part of which doctors had to remove.
Following this, a military medical commission deemed him temporarily unfit for service.
Despite the doctors’ conclusion, Ivan was later declared a deserter and criminal proceedings were initiated against him.
In December 2025, he was transferred to a reserve battalion in Yenakiieve. Later, despite being referred to a military medical commission, he was sent back to the war against Ukraine in the Pokrovsk area.
After that, Ivan stopped communicating. He has been considered missing in action since December 2025.
A similar story happened to 32-year-old Danil K., who was seriously wounded near Pokrovsk. He was diagnosed with fractures, as well as injuries to his spine and pelvis. Doctors deemed him temporarily unfit for service.
However, in December 2025, the military took Danil from the temporary deployment site where he was awaiting a medical examination. A few days later, his family was informed that he was “back in the ranks,” and on January 7, he was added to the list of missing in action.
Last year, Ukrainian drones also recorded how the Russian army sent maimed soldiers on crutches into battle near the village of Novotroitske, Donetsk Oblast. Similar incidents were recorded near Pokrovsk.
