Russia forced to use donkeys to bring ammunition to Putin’s troops in Ukraine as military vehicles run short

A solider claimed Russia’s defence ministry was supplying donkeys to directly to troops

Donkeys are being used by Vladimir Putin’s troops to move ammunition and supplies to the frontline in Ukraine amid a shortage of military vehicles, according to Russian soldiers and war bloggers.

The animals were being provided directly to troops by Russia’s defence ministry, a number of unnamed soldiers said on Telegram.

Russian Telegram channel Mayorsky KortiZol published a video on 5 February in which a Russian soldier said he was given a donkey.

“They gave us a donkey. It’s parked in the support platoon. We have s*** for transport, right? Here’s a donkey. Use it to transport ammunition to the front lines,” he said.

Another Russian serviceman claimed that his unit had received four donkeys and joked about using the animals in the 21st century.

“They’re bringing us donkeys – real ones! Four of them. I don’t know how they’ll divide them... They’re using donkeys to transport ammo. The order is to build a corral for them. 21st century – we’re going to war on donkeys.”

An unverified photo shows a donkey reportedly being used by Russian troops for transporting weaponry on the frontline in Ukraine (Telegram/@mag_vodogray)

Russia is estimated to have lost about 20,000 pieces of military equipment since the start of its all-out invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago.

The losses of armoured combat vehicles – tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armoured personnel carriers – amounted to 11,597 units, according to Oryx, a Dutch research group that monitors the war in Ukraine. Of these, 8,720 were destroyed, 367 were damaged, 975 were abandoned, and 1,535 were captured.

Viktor Sobolev, a retired general who is now a member of the Russian parliament’s defence committee, defended the use of the animals.

“There are currently great difficulties in providing units and divisions with ammunition, military supplies, as well as food,” he told the Defence Express.

Donkeys reportedly being used by Russian troops along Ukraine’s 600-mile front (Telegram/@mag_vodogray)

“If some methods such as donkeys, horses, and so on are used to deliver ammunition and other supplies to the front line, this is normal.

“It is better for a donkey to be killed than two people transporting supplies in a vehicle,” he said.

Referring to their use during the Second World War he recalled that much of the artillery was horse-drawn at the time.

“Dogs were also used in that war,” he added. “They were loaded with explosives and sent to areas where they were needed.”

One pro-war Russian Telegram channel asked what would happen if the donkeys were captured by the Ukrainian army.

“Will it be declared missing in action or a prisoner of war?” wrote the Dva Maiora [Two Majors] channel.