At least one in ten Russian military personnel stationed in Ukraine uses drugs, as drug-trafficking networks extend to the front line, reports the Verstka news site, created by independent journalists, according to military analyst Chris Owen.

Couriers deliver drugs directly to the front lines, and the Russian military is aware of the problem but doesn’t seem to be doing much about it.

Verstka talks about the types of drugs used by the Russian military in Ukraine, from cannabis, “bath salts” (alpha-PVP, also known as flakka in the West), mephedrone and amphetamines.

Soldiers say drugs are easy to get: “It’s like Las Vegas,” says one.

“They use them out of boredom,” says one soldier. “War is when you wait for something all the time, from time to time you pray that it doesn’t happen. When I was smoking salt in the bunker, I didn’t care about possible betrayal. [paranoia]. Boredom is much worse.”

Many soldiers use marijuana with the knowledge of their comrades and even their commanders, who are said to ignore them. The soldier says: “I shot the grass several times. Nothing particularly interesting, I stopped and went to bed to watch a movie.”

Others use drugs to make army rations more palatable. “It really tasted good with the salt. …Even military cigarettes were not bad, although in a sober state it is better to pluck sunflowers from a minefield and smoke them – it was more useful that way.”

Drugs are supplied and often produced by Ukrainians living in the occupied territories.

Who are the drug suppliers?

Couriers deliver drugs directly to the front lines, although they charge high prices because of the risk of attack.

Some Ukrainians began growing poppies and hemp on their land in order to supply drugs to the Russian occupiers.

As one contractor says: “When we see such yards in time [operațiunilor] cleaning, we burn everything there at once.”