Many ukrainian fighters are in the trenches every day, under fire from enemy artillery and tanks, but they remain defiant. The situation is reminiscent of the first world war where soldiers can too easily get sick just from the absence of hygiene.

The infantryman in the winter feels constant cold. There are cases of the amputation of frozen limbs. During the summer heat, soldiers dehydrate quickly. At the same time, the sweat mixed with dust and mud created formidable environment for different kind of bacteria.

Most of the Ukrainian units don’t have centrally organised washing facilities. “Last time, I washed myself was a month ago,” explained a soldier to us near Bahmut. Uniforms have to be washed by hand and infrequently. Living in constant damp conditions affects the morale of defenders.