Russia runs out of space for the wounded; civilian hospitals are converted into military hospitals
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Due to the overwhelming influx of wounded soldiers from the front lines, Russia's military hospitals have reached their capacity limits, forcing civilian medical facilities across the country to convert their departments for military use. Occupiers are now being treated free of charge without waiting lists, but these converted wards operate under strict secrecy regimes with limited access controlled by magnetic passes. Medical professionals from regions including St. Petersburg, Yaroslavl, and Siberia have reported that staff in these areas are isolated from other workers to maintain confidentiality, while documentation for patients often replaces names with identification numbers to prevent leaks.
Although Russian authorities initially promised in May 2023 to transfer nearly 5,000 beds in 27 civilian hospitals across 11 regions to the Ministry of Defense, this decision has never been officially announced, leaving the full list of affected institutions unknown. In practice, facilities like the Dzhanelidze Research Institute in St. Petersburg and a hospital in Yaroslavl have opened closed wards specifically for war veterans since June 2024, with some departments exceeding their designed capacity significantly; for instance, a unit meant for 40 patients is currently admitting up to 86. To cope with the shortage of space, additional beds have been installed in hallways and mattresses are being used within existing wards, highlighting the severe strain on the healthcare system.
The integration of military personnel into civilian hospitals has created significant disruptions for regular patients and introduced new safety hazards. While emergency care remains accessible to civilians, routine treatments face delays as people endure long queues only to be interrupted by soldiers cutting in line, a situation that fuels social tension and irritation among the local population. Furthermore, the environment within these converted wards has deteriorated due to behavioral issues associated with the influx of wounded troops, including drunkenness, theft, and violent conflicts; incidents such as a shootout between veterans at an Alexandrovskaya Hospital and a stabbing at Peter the Great Hospital illustrate the volatile conditions that have emerged in these medical spaces.
This desperate need to repurpose civilian infrastructure is a direct consequence of the massive losses suffered by the Russian army, with estimates indicating total casualties reaching 1.4 million by June of this year, including at least 450,000 killed and many others seriously wounded or missing. Despite having approximately 58,300 beds in military medical facilities capable of treating around one million wounded annually, the current capacity remains insufficient to handle the sheer volume of injuries from the ongoing conflict. The reliance on civilian hospitals not only compromises the quality of care for non-military patients but also underscores the unsustainable nature of Russia's war effort as it continues to absorb casualties at an alarming rate.
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The Russian Ministry of Defense's
military hospitals have become
overwhelmed by the influx of wounded
from the front, so civilian hospitals
across the country have begun converting
their departments to serve the military.
Occupiers are being treated free of
charge and without waiting lists, and
the departments themselves are being
made as close as possible with limited
access and a special secrecy regime.
Medical professionals from St.
Petersburg, the Yaroslavl region, and
Siberia told VOT Tak This. The Moscow
Times reports. At the end of May 2023,
Russian authorities promised to transfer
nearly 5,000 beds in 27 civilian
hospitals in 11 regions, including
Moscow, St. Petersburg, Rostov-on-Don,
and Sevastopol to the Ministry of
Defense. However, this decision has not
been officially announced, and the full
list of hospitals remains unknown. The
first wounded were admitted to the
Dzhanelidze Research Institute of
Emergency Care in St. Petersburg in June
2024.
According to a hospital employee, two
closed wards for war veterans were
opened there on the site of the
intensive care and shock therapy units.
Access was restricted to those with
magnetic passes, and the staff was
isolated from other workers. The wards
were designed to accommodate
approximately 60 to 70 beds. A similar
system has been in place since 2024 at a
hospital in the Yaroslavl region. In
Siberia, documentation for such patients
is also classified. Instead of a first
and last name, medical records use a
number, said a traumatologist at one
city hospital. Meanwhile, at the Kirov
Military Medical Academy in St.
Petersburg, a department designed for 40
patients is currently admitting up to
86. After the outbreak of full-scale
war, additional beds were installed in
the hallways, and mattresses are being
used in the wards. According to VOT tax
estimates, Russia has at least 58,300
beds in military medical facilities
capable of treating approximately 1
million wounded annually. However, even
this capacity is insufficient. The use
of civilian hospitals for military
personnel also hinders access to medical
care for other patients. While they can
receive emergency care, there are
problems with routine treatment. And
people sit in live queues waiting for
help, suffering, and then suddenly
someone cuts in. This, of course, causes
irritation and social tension, the
source told the publication. The arrival
of wounded soldiers in civilian
hospitals is accompanied by conflicts,
drunkenness, theft, and even shootouts.
In April, a conflict between two
veterans of the war at the
Alexandrovskaya Hospital in St.
Petersburg ended in gunfire, and in
September, one soldier stabbed another
in the stomach at Peter the Great
Hospital. They drink and steal. "Someone
stole a TV in our department, went and
sold it, and got drunk," a local doctor
said. The influx of wounded is due to
the massive losses suffered by the
Russian army. According to the Center
for Strategic and International Studies,
by June of this year, Russia's total
losses in the full-scale war had reached
1.4 million. At least 450,000 of them
were killed, while the rest were
seriously wounded or missing.
>> Oh.