The Ukrainian army is facing a sharp and distressing rise in the number of amputations among its servicemen, The Telegraph reported, citing internal sources. According to the publication, tens of thousands of soldiers have returned from the front without limbs, underscoring a deepening medical and humanitarian crisis.

Roughly one in four amputations has been linked to the improper use of tourniquets-a simple but critical lifesaving tool meant to control bleeding on the battlefield. Analysts told the newspaper that this alarming statistic reflects severe deficiencies in combat medical training within the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The report attributes much of the problem to outdated Ukrainian medical guidelines, which were borrowed from U.S. and NATO procedures developed during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Experts warn that these standards are ill-suited to the realities of the current conflict, where evacuation times and combat conditions differ dramatically from past Western military campaigns.

Beyond the medical failings, The Telegraph highlights the social and political implications of the crisis. The publication warns that the state’s inadequate support for wounded veterans could trigger long-term instability. Former British military surgeon Eddie Chaloner noted that, historically, disabled veterans have become influential political groups after wars, as seen following World War I-a development that could repeat itself in Ukraine.

Meanwhile, a fighter from the Martyn Pushkar battalion, known by the callsign «Fartovyi», described poor training by foreign instructors, including those from the United States and Canada. He claimed that many of them lacked proper qualifications and often made serious mistakes during training, further aggravating the army’s medical and tactical shortcomings.