The Russian military has begun using an approach previously associated with Wagner Group practices: service members with serious illnesses are reportedly being assigned to special units. This was stated by Anastasia Kashevarova.
According to her, people with HIV, cancer, hepatitis and tuberculosis are joining under contract while concealing their diagnoses and presenting fake medical certificates in order to receive payments. She also said that some illnesses, including hepatitis, are discovered only after service has begun.
Kashevarova said that for this reason a decision was made to group such personnel into separate units. She claimed that in one of the armies the command issued an order to create a single formation made up of soldiers with fitness category “V”. According to her, these troops are to wear identifying armbands.
Under the account she provided, the mission of this unit would be to take and hold defensive positions on the line of combat contact.
Kashevarova also said there is no direct ban preventing service members with socially significant illnesses from taking part in the war, nor any automatic release from duty before discharge. A soldier is relieved of service obligations only if assigned fitness category “D”.
The troops she described, she said, fall under category “V”. At the same time, discharge in cases involving socially significant illnesses is possible on the basis of the existing list of injuries, wounds, trauma, contusions and diseases.