In a video sent directly to Commander-in-Chief Mykhailo Drapaty and posted on 11/8, soldiers from Ukraine's 121st Territorial Defense Brigade appeared exhausted.

Platoon leader Anatoliy Saichuk stated in the video: "We are currently hiding in a self-found shelter because all our combat positions have been flattened. There are periods of 3-7 consecutive days when we receive no food or water supplies."

He recounted one instance where the unit endured thirst for 12 days. "We had to drink our own urine to survive, waiting for aerial resupply," Saichuk said, adding that his platoon was initially assigned for only one month, with essentials to be delivered by drone.

Saichuk asserted that this was not the reality, accusing senior officers of deceiving soldiers' families by assuring them of "full supplies."

He noted: "Many of my soldiers were delirious for days due to lack of food and water."

The 121st Brigade command confirmed the video's authenticity on Facebook, stating it is making every effort to resupply soldiers under harsh battlefield conditions.

The Southern operational command, which manages the area, acknowledged that the platoon is fighting in a challenging and volatile battlefield. However, it suggested the video reflects "a small part of the complex operational situation" and does not fully represent Ukraine's ongoing efforts.

In late April, then-Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi signed an order limiting soldier deployment to a maximum of two months, with rotations to occur no later than one month.

However, this regulation is often not followed due to the constant threat from drones, which makes troop withdrawal almost impossible. Soldiers are typically rotated only during adverse weather, when drones cannot operate effectively, but these conditions are difficult to predict.

Many Ukrainian soldiers are forced to hold their positions for months, with some trapped in bunkers for over one year without relief.

Vu Hoang (Reuters, AFP, AP)