Weekly Ukraine war summary: Russian volunteers reported to last “two weeks to a month” at the front as Moscow mounts offensive on Kurakhove

Russian Major General Pavel Klimenko, commander of the 5th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, was killed in the combat zone. It was later revealed that he and a group of military personnel on motorcycles had come under an FPV (first-person view) drone attack. The wounded general was taken to a hospital in Russian-occupied Donetsk, where he died. Earlier, Klimenko's subordinates tortured to death American volunteer Russell Bentley, whose call sign was “Texas.”

Propagandist Anastasia Kashevarova drew attention to a post by the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization Women's Front, which helps participants of Russia’s so-called “special military operation” and their families. The post noted the short “life span” of a Russian stormtrooper on the front lines, citing it as often being “from two weeks to a month.” As she points out, whereas one recruit costs Russia 6-12 million rubles ($61,000 to $122,500), their combat efficiency “is approaching zero.”

Russian commanders are threatening to deploy 17 servicemen suffering from viral hepatitis C to the front lines — despite the threat to others and an explicit ban on carriers of the disease taking part in combat operations. Soldiers of the 1428th Motorized Rifle and 95th Rifle regiments were refused medical board examination, after which they recorded a video address and complained to the Russian Prosecutor-General’s Office. The author of the Telegram channel “Vault 8” says that HIV, hepatitis, and tuberculosis patients, as well as drug addicts, are increasingly being sent to them as reinforcements. He describes the situation as “a blatant violation of every conceivable standard of medical service.”

Russian pro-war channel Fighterbomber reported the loss of a Ka-52 helicopter, with the pilot in command killed and the flight navigator surviving the incident. A photo of the helicopter with a brief condolence message was also published by the Telegram channel Aviahub. Russian Army Aviation pilot Alexei Voevoda's channel (Voevoda Veshchaet) confirmed the loss, adding that the surviving crew member had ejected from the aircraft. According to Voevoda, this is the seventh helicopter crew member who has rescued himself in this way.