
Russia's invasion of Ukraine has worsened an already serious HIV crisis among military personnel. The number of HIV cases among Russian soldiers increased 40 times in the first year of the war, the Russian Defence Ministry has said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is recruiting civilians from occupied parts of Ukraine, particularly those with diseases like HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis, promising them healthcare and treatment, The NY Post reported.
Reports suggest that sick civilians in occupied areas are being denied healthcare unless they join the Russian army. This is happening because the Russian military is struggling to recruit enough soldiers to fill its ranks and is using the promise of medical care as an incentive.
But as per Russian law, people who have HIV, tuberculosis, or hepatitis C are supposed to be exempt from military service.
Olga Romanova, an exiled Russian journalist, told The NY Post, "It's easier for everyone if they get killed there, no one will notice the difference."
Carnegie Politika reports that over 1 million people in Russia were living with HIV in 2016, which was about 1 per cent of the total population. At the time, the crises could still have been managed by increasing the healthcare budget and introducing prevention methods.
Instead, Russia relied on outdated ideas about family life and morality, which were ineffective in stopping HIV. And the full-scale invasion of Ukraine made the situation worse as the war disrupted healthcare services and made it difficult for the country to prevent HIV.
The HIV crisis in the Russian army worsened rapidly during the war, with cases rising 13 times by the end of 2022 and 20 times by the end of 2023 compared to before the invasion, reported Carnegie Politika.
In areas of Ukraine occupied by Russia, military recruitment centres reportedly put up signs saying, "This is your last chance," according to a report in Kyiv Independent.
Vira Yastrebova, director of the Eastern Human Rights Group, said, "They have no interest in treating people or creating conditions to halt the epidemic."
Over 40 per cent of the 250,000 soldiers Russia recruited from its prisons have HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, and other illnesses, it reported.
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