Ukrainian Soldiers Share Accounts of Illegal Alcohol and MDMA Consumption Leading to Alleged Civilian Deaths
Soldiers train in Kyiv, Ukraine. The Daily Beast reported in the city of Donbas, some soldiers have been turning to illegal alcohol and drugs to cope with the traumas of war. (Photo: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)
The Daily Beast reported on Monday that Ukrainian soldiers fighting on the frontlines of the Russia-Ukraine War are turning to illegal booze and controlled substances like MDMA to cope with the ongoing traumas of war. The outlet reported that soldiers are acquiring these illegal substances through the Ukrainian mafia.
The city of Donbas has served as the epicenter of the Russia-Ukraine war, and alcohol is illegal in the area. Yet, soldiers have managed to acquire illegal alcohol through off-duty soldiers, journalists, volunteers on the frontlines and smugglers. The Daily Beast claims it spoke to multiple soldiers from February through April about their experiences on the frontlines and what they’ve witnessed with the consumption of illegal drugs and alcohol — it’s not a pretty picture.
Some soldiers alleged they witnessed their comrades get so intoxicated or high on illicit substances that they killed their fellow soldiers, civilians and animals, according to The Daily Beast.
Monday marks the 816th day of war between Russia and Ukraine, and the sense of nationalism that once existed at the beginning of the conflict is waning. The Daily Beast reported that Ukraine struggles to find soldiers to fill its ranks. The country dropped its “mobilization age” from 27 to 25 and continues to pressure men living abroad to return and serve on the frontlines. The outlet reports that in Donbas, some soldiers claim defeat is inevitable.
A few of the soldiers interviewed claimed some of the men who went to serve were “forced to go.”
“They drink because when you go out on direct fire, you see a threat, the question immediately arises — not just [who] to kill, but to stay alive. You [return] and begin to relieve stress. The price [of alcohol] no longer matters,” an anonymous soldier said during an exclusive with The Daily Beast.
The Daily Beast additionally reported on an anonymous account that one soldier fighting for Ukraine allegedly killed “two civilians and a police officer while he was drunk” in early 2024, but the anonymous source wouldn’t comment further on the matter.
Stories of alcohol-fueled violence have surfaced from Russian armies as well. In April, two Russian soldiers reportedly went on a rogue murder spree in search of alcohol and ended up killing seven people.
Another Ukrainian soldier named Valerii claimed he regularly used amphetamine to stay awake in battle.
“Everyone used it there, every day,” he claimed.
Valerii claimed other soldiers used MDMA regularly, and they acquired the drugs online or through the Ukrainian mafia.
CBC Radio reported in 2017 that soldiers around the world have used drugs to aid them in combat. Child soldiers fighting in Africa would be given “brown browns,” a concoction composed of cocaine and gunpowder. The outlet reported drug dependency would keep the child soldiers “loyal and obedient.”
Yet drug use is not just confined to the battlefield. Today reported in 2021 that recent trials have demonstrated the positive effects of MDMA in reducing the effects of PTSD in soldiers returning from war. Studies demonstrated veterans might be able to discuss the traumas of combat with a dosage of MDMA combined with psychotherapy. A veteran named Jon Lubecky, who served in multiple tours of Iraq, shared his thoughts after participating in the study.
“… I started talking and I was able to talk about things I had never brought up before to anyone,” Lubecky said. “And it was OK. My body did not betray me. I didn’t get panic attacks. I didn’t shut down emotionally or just become so overemotional I couldn’t deal with anything.”
Yet the situation for soldiers who have seen combat in Ukraine appears to be far more fraught.
A soldier named Andrey, who agreed to be interviewed by The Daily Beast on the condition he spoke under his first name only, shared that he turned to MDMA to cope with the trauma of fighting on the frontlines. At some point in August or September, Andrey lost both of his legs after he drove a vehicle that hit a landmine. After surgery, Andrey spent time in and out of the psychiatric ward and turned to MDMA to cope. Andrey reported to the outlet that nurses “turn a blind eye,” while he consumes illegal drugs.
“The hardest thing [in combat] is the fear,” Andrey explained. “It never goes away. There should be more psychological assistance. I haven’t received any.” he concluded to The Daily Beast.
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