Pro-Russian Telegram channels are spreading information that 70% of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel use alcohol to fall asleep, and that 80% of those with an addiction had already encountered this problem before mobilization.

However, this is a manipulation that experts from VoxCheck have drawn attention to. In late December 2024, Hromadske published an article in which military personnel expressed their views on the situation with alcohol in the army. However, there is no official data on the level of addiction among military personnel.

Indeed, a company commander did note that some soldiers may drink alcohol to fall asleep: “I think about 70% of personnel take 50 grams just to sleep peacefully. But there’s a difference between drinking for sleep. One person takes a little, sleeps, and is ready for any task in the morning. The other can’t get out of bed without 100 grams. It’s these people who are the problem. They drink as long as they have something to drink, and they always do”.

At the same time, the senior sergeant of the 93rd Brigade noted that someone who didn’t abuse alcohol before joining the army won’t become an alcoholic in the military. According to his observations, about 80% of soldiers who abuse alcohol already had such a problem in civilian life.

Through this manipulation, propagandists are trying to deflect attention from problems in the Russian army by creating a distorted reality. For example, according to a 2023 report by the UK Ministry of Defence, referencing a Russian Telegram channel, information was released about the “exceptionally high” number of incidents, crimes, and deaths among Russian soldiers caused by alcohol use. 

“Russian commanders likely see widespread alcohol abuse as a serious threat to combat effectiveness. However, since alcoholism is common in Russian society, it has long been tacitly accepted as an inherent part of military life, even during combat operations”, noted British intelligence.

Russian agitprop manipulates facts to discredit the Ukrainian army, creating an impression of its weakness and moral decay. Such manipulations aim to undermine trust in the Ukrainian Armed Forces both among Ukrainians and international partners, as well as demoralize society.