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ConflictsUkraine

How drugs have spread on the front lines of the Ukraine war

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May 26, 2026

As Russia's war in Ukraine drags on, addiction and self-medication are becoming a growing but largely unspoken problem. One that authorities are only starting to address, and one many fear will outlast the war itself.

Ukrainian soldiers are increasingly turning to drugs to endure trauma on the front lines.

DW correspondent Max Zander spoke with Ukrainian soldiers, who describe using methadone and painkillers to manage fear, exhaustion and untreated injuries.

Experts warn that long deployments, poor mental health support and stigma are driving addiction, a crisis likely to outlast Russia's war in Ukraine

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