--- title: "Russian Commanders Reportedly High on Painkillers Gave Out “Nonsensical Orders”" description: "A Russian POW alleged that Russian commanders got high on a stock of painkillers before giving battlefield orders to frontline soldiers." date: "2023-07-07" modified: "2023-07-07" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/russian-commanders-high-painkillers" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "Russia" - "the digest" - "ukraine" - "War" --- # Russian Commanders Reportedly High on Painkillers Gave Out “Nonsensical Orders” ![]() *\Image: Sean Gallup/Getty Images\* ## Bad Command In a [rare interview with *CNN*](), captured Russian POWs painted a grim picture of what it's like on the front lines of the Russian invasion of Ukraine — and put bluntly, it sounds like absolute chaos. "It was very different from what I saw on TV," one POW, who spoke under the pseudonym Sergei, told *CNN*. "Parallel reality. I felt fear, pain and disappointment in my commanders." Another POW, who went by Slava, told *CNN* that commanders were known to get high on a stock of painkillers before giving orders to frontline soldiers. According to Slava, these commanders sent Russian soldiers into mortar fire and gave "nonsensical orders" while under the influence. "We had no morale," Slava, who was recruited from a Russian prison and promised his freedom if he agreed to fight, told *CNN.* If confirmed, it's a grim peek into a disorganized Russian front that lacks soldier morale and proper leadership as the invasion wages on. And sadly, as it stands, there's still no end in sight. ## Bubbling Turmoil There are some notable reasons why we should take these accounts with a grain of salt. *CNN* admitted that the accounts couldn't be independently verified. At the same time, though, the POWs' stories are "consistent with videos posted by Russian conscripted convicts who say they were deployed to the frontline with little support." The accounts also fit into a broader picture of internal Russian turmoil. Though [Russian citizens]() were originally told back in 2022 that the country's "[special military operation]()" in Ukraine would last only a few days, the conflict has dragged on for well over a year, claiming the lives of many thousands of Russian soldiers — and resulting in a [mass exodus]() of young Russian men fleeing to avoid conscription. And amid reports of [bubbling Russian dissatisfaction]() with longtime president Vladimir Putin's invasion, Yevgeny Prigozhin, a Putin insider and the leader of the Wagner Group, launched an [armed coup]() against the Kremlin, but was persuaded to abandon the coup before reaching Moscow. In any case, it's bone-chilling to hear about squad leaders allegedly popping pills on the frontlines before sending young men to slaughter — especially considering that [Ukrainian civilians]() are ultimately the ones who continue to suffer the most. **More on Russia:** [*Suspected Russian Spy Whale Reappears, Possibly Lonely and Wanting Love*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()