Russian soldiers are facing a 'mouse fever' outbreak on the frontlines, Ukrainian intel says

• Russian troops are dealing with outbreaks of "mouse fever," Ukrainian intel alleges.
• The disease is being carried by rodents in the trenches, Ukraine said.

Front-line combat and death by a drone strike or artillery fire aren't the only dangers Russian soldiers are facing, according to Ukrainian intelligence.

Ukraine alleges that the Kremlin's infantry along the frontlines are now facing outbreaks of "mouse fever," an illness spread by rodents.

In a post by Ukraine's Intelligence Directorate this week, officials say hemorrhagic fever renal syndrome is spreading "en masse" through the ranks.

But Russian commanders dismissed soldiers' concerns, Ukraine intel said.

"Complaints about fever from the personnel of the Russian army who are involved in the war against Ukraine were ignored by the command who considered them as another form of evading participation in the hostilities," Ukrainian intelligence wrote.

What Ukraine is calling "mouse fever" is a group of illnesses spread when people are exposed to urine, saliva, or droppings from rodents, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Symptoms include the sudden onset of "intense headaches, back and abdominal pain, fever, chills, nausea, and blurred vision," according to the CDC.

If left untreated, later symptoms can include going into shock and acute kidney failure, the CDC writes.

Ukrainian officials also said Russian troops are frustrated by the "inadequate provision of winter items and a complete lack of medical assistance."

The war in Ukraine has dragged out into a bloody stalemate in recent months. Neither Ukraine nor Russia have made major breakthroughs through the fortified frontlines — and infantry have been facing the brunt of the terrible conditions.

Russia's units of former convict soldiers are most likely being sent back to the front without the right medical care, with some going into battle with unhealed wounds and amputations, according to Western intelligence.

Drug use among the Russian ranks has also skyrocketed, according to independent Russian news outlet Verstka. That's sparked a revival of drug smuggling in the criminal underworld of Russia, according to a December 2023 assessment.

Translation by Oleksandr Vynogradov