Outbreak of diseases among mobilized Russians in Belarus - intelligence

That’s according to the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry, Ukrinform reports.

According to Ukrainian intelligence, units of the Russian armed forces, which mainly consist of so-called "partially mobilized" citizens, continue to cross into Belarus. Their main task is the preparation of the material base and deployment sites for Russian troops. "Meanwhile, the draftees are forced to live in unsuitable conditions – mostly in field tents without proper sanitary conditions, the agency noted.

"Among these servicemen, there is a large-scale outbreak of various diseases. Most of them are diseases of the respiratory tract (bronchitis, sore throat, pneumonia, and asthma) and gastrointestinal infections. The scale of the diseases is such that Belarusian medics are unable to cope, therefore military and mobilized doctors are being urgently sent in from the Russian Federation to Belarus," the statement reads.

In the near future, the next batch of medics is expected to arrive at the 230 combined military training ground of the Western Operational Command of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Belarus (Obuz-Lisnovsky). The outbreak of diseases there is also associated with non-compliance with basic requirements for military camps to ensure hygiene, quality food, and medical care.

Tensions between the militaries of the two states are also growing in Belarus. Multiple conflict situations are connected with precedents of contemptuous attitude of the Russian military towards Belarusians. The military police of the Republic of Belarus are unable to restrain the Russians. In particular, the reports submitted by Belarus’ senior officers based on the complaints of their rank-and-file servicemen indicate disparaging expressions and behavior of Russians towards Belarusians, in particular, involving ethnic-related insults. The number of incidents is growing rapidly, which leads to uncontrolled escalation of tensions.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the deputy chief of the Main Operational Department of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Brigadier General Oleksii Hromov, said that strike groups that could threaten Ukraine could be formed in in Belarus  in two to three months.