HIV-positive Russian soldiers appeal for protection from extortion and threats, fearing they will be "zeroed out" after being told their presence is illegal due to their HIV status. (files.catbox.moe)

submitted 22 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago) by LaFinlandia@sopuli.xyz to c/ukraine@sopuli.xyz

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‼️"We are not provided with proper treatment, LHC examination, and rehabilitation due to our HIV status"
Service members of the 37th Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Brigade (military unit 69647) of the 36th Guards Combined Arms Army (military unit 05776) recorded a collective video appeal in which they reported a violation of their rights, and also stated pressure and discrimination related to their HIV status.
"Due to the circumstances that developed inside the company, we ended up in the MP pit of the Melekino settlement of the DPR Republic. <...> We faced injustice and a direct danger to our life and health from our command"
According to them, they do not receive proper medical care, and also cannot achieve passing the LHC and referral to rehabilitation. In addition, the service members report threats and extortion of funds by the command.
"There are 14 of us asking for help and protection. Constant extortion of money in large amounts is taking place. On top of everything, we have wounds"
The service members fear for their lives due to threats of "zeroing out" by the command and appeal to the President of the Russian Federation, the Minister of Defense, and the Chairman of the Investigative Committee with a request to pay attention to their situation.
"During the last CO, they wanted to zero us out, also because of our status, scaring us by saying that our presence became illegal and that there are none and should be none of such people on the territory of the SMO."

https://t.me/ne_zhdi_novosti/6703

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[-] homes@piefed.world 10 points 21 hours ago

This is horrible. How are they even exposed to HIV in the first place?

[-] The_v@lemmy.world 17 points 20 hours ago

HIV infection is increasing in Russia. There is a very strong stigma in the country against those that are infected. So treatment is often insufficient.

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhiv/article/PIIS2352-3018(25)00272-3/fulltext

[-] homes@piefed.world 19 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago)

Until recently, the epidemic was concentrated among key populations such as men who have sex with men, female sex workers, and people who inject drugs, but indications are that the epidemic has now expanded to the general population. For example, data for 2023 showed that, in at least 16 regions, the proportion of pregnant people with HIV had exceeded 1%, the threshold that is considered suggestive of a generalised epidemic.

Oh, wow, that’s fucking grim