Hiding Under Clothes and Biting Fingers... The 'Night Ambush' Tormenting Ukrainian Soldiers

Soldiers Tormented by the "War with Rats"
"Because of Rats, We Can Only Sleep 2-3 Hours if We're Lucky"

[Image source=Telegram]

As the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on, soldiers holding the front lines are reportedly facing difficulties due to swarms of rats.

On the 21st (local time), CNN reported that swarms of rats are tormenting soldiers engaged in combat. A female Ukrainian soldier using the call sign "Kira" recalled suffering a war against rats while fighting in the Zaporizhzhia region in southeastern Ukraine last fall. She said, "When I went to bed, the night began with rats crawling into my clothes and nibbling or biting my fingertips," adding, "If I was lucky, I could sleep for about 2 to 3 hours."

Kira estimated that there were about 1,000 rats in a log cabin housing four soldiers. She said, "It wasn't the rats who visited us; we were the guests of the rats." Kira sprayed special repellents and ammonia to catch the rats and later even kept a cat. She added, "At first, the cat helped catch the rats. But later, the rats became so numerous that even the cat gave up."

[Image source=Ex]

Ukrainian and Russian soldiers have been posting videos on social networking services (SNS) showing scenes of rat infestations. The videos show rats scurrying under beds, backpacks, uniform pockets, and pillowcases. In particular, a video showing rats pouring out of a Russian mortar instead of shells has also become a hot topic. CNN pointed out that the rat swarms are spreading diseases at the front lines as they move in search of food and warmth during the harsh winter.

There have also been cases where rats destroyed military equipment. Kira said, "Rats gnawed on everything?radios, relay devices, wires. When rats climbed onto vehicles and chewed electrical wiring, the vehicles couldn't move, and tanks and wheels were also gnawed on." She continued, "We suffered losses amounting to $26,500 (about 35.42 million won) because of the rats," adding, "If communications are cut off, it can threaten lives, so the damage is very significant."