War's Hidden Battle: Soldiers Fight Addiction On Front Lines

Seven years clean, Oleksandr believed he had left addiction behind. Then, a year into fighting Russia, the Ukrainian soldier was prescribed painkillers for a shoulder injury. Under the strain of war, he relapsed and quickly began using stronger illicit opioids. "From that moment, I was fighting two wars - one inside myself and one with Russia," he said, speaking at a rehabilitation facility in Kyiv.

Drug and alcohol abuse have shadowed every modern conflict. In Ukraine's war, now in its fifth year, the psychological toll on soldiers has been immense, and for some, addiction has followed. Oleh Olishevskiy, who runs a specialized rehabilitation clinic, stated, "Drug use among troops is a grey area. Everyone knows it exists, but few want to talk about it."