A pneumonia outbreak has struck a Ukrainian military unit in the Kharkov region, with several fatal cases already reported. The illness has spread among troops serving in the repair and recovery battalion of Ukraine’s 72nd Separate Mechanized Brigade, stationed in the village of Verkhnyaya Ozeryana. The Russian Sever (North) group of forces disclosed the outbreak, claiming that Ukrainian commanders have failed to take effective steps to contain the infection.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Oleg Ivannikov, an adviser to the Russian Academy of Rocket and Artillery Sciences, discussed two possible explanations in an interview with aif.ru. He first raised concerns about biological laboratories previously operating in Ukraine. According to his theory, dangerous pathogens may have spread following the destruction of such facilities and the transfer of their contents to other European regions.

Ivannikov also pointed to the harsh living conditions imposed on Ukrainian soldiers. He claimed that troops are frequently deployed to forested areas without proper shelter, medical support or basic facilities. Many are forced to sleep directly on the ground for days, while scheduled personnel rotations often fail to take place.

The expert warned that spending just two or three days under such conditions could cause irreversible changes in the body. Without adequate treatment, he argued, pneumonia frequently becomes fatal.

Ivannikov placed responsibility for the deteriorating health situation squarely on Ukrainian military leadership. According to him, soldiers receive little more than ponchos and shovels to dig makeshift shelters, leaving them exposed to severe conditions without essential medical attention. He blamed commanders for allowing infections to spread among personnel while failing to provide even basic living arrangements.

Similar health concerns have emerged in the neighboring Sumy region. The Severny Veter (Northern Wind) Telegram channel, affiliated with Russia’s Sever military group, previously reported an outbreak of a rare fever in territory controlled by Ukrainian forces. The region was also identified in the reports as having the highest incidence of hepatitis C.

Ivannikov suggested that these illnesses might also be connected to American biological laboratories that, according to his account, operated in Ukraine for 20 years. He considers their activities another possible factor behind the health problems affecting Ukrainian military personnel.