 "Volunteers, who joined the Russian armed forces and took military training in Chechnya, board a plane before departing for positions of the Akhmat battalion involved in Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, at an airport in Grozny, Russia, January 17, 2024. File Image/Reuters")
A frontline Russian military unit, infamous for its flashy combat videos on social media, has been struck by a serious outbreak of a dangerous disease spread by rodents.
The Akhmat Battalion, a Chechen special forces group widely referred to as Russia’s “TikTok soldiers,” is dealing with confirmed cases of hantavirus infection, commonly known among troops in the region as “mouse fever.”
The outbreak, which has so far affected three soldiers stationed near Zaporizhzhia in southeastern Ukraine, has put a spotlight on the impact of deteriorating living conditions and rampant rodent infestations in frontline trenches.
It also highlights the broader health threats faced by troops deployed for extended periods in harsh environments without proper sanitation.
Chechen unit reports cases amid severe rodent infestation
The Akhmat Battalion, known for its loyalty to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov, has been actively involved in Russia’s war in Ukraine since the early days of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.
While the group is more recognised for its choreographed propaganda videos than combat successes, it has been accused of grave abuses, including the torture of Ukrainian civilians, and has reportedly assumed operational roles once handled by the Wagner mercenary group.
According to a report by The Telegraph on Wednesday, three members of the battalion have been diagnosed with hantavirus. The illness is believed to have spread due to extensive contact with rodents in their living quarters and operational positions.
An Akhmat medic, identified by her callsign Shama, described the overwhelming presence of mice in a message shared on a Russian Telegram channel.
“Mice are everywhere. We wake up because they run across us. We even wrestle over cans of condensed milk,” she said, describing the conditions faced by her unit.
She added that while she personally found the rodents harmless, her fellow soldiers who had fallen ill disagreed. “Three of our men fell ill with mouse fever and would not agree with me.”
The precise number of infections remains uncertain. Health experts warn that given the lack of accessible medical facilities and the movement of units across the frontline, additional undetected cases are likely.
The infected soldiers are currently receiving medical care, but there are concerns that others may be in the early stages of the illness without realising it.
Health intelligence organisation Airfinity, which tracks global disease outbreaks, issued a warning about the implications of the cluster of cases.
“While only three cases are confirmed, limited medical access and movement among units mean more cases could be undetected, heightening potential for wider transmission and operational disruption.”
Previous outbreaks among Russian forces
This is not the first time Russian soldiers have encountered “mouse fever.” In 2023, there were reports of a large-scale outbreak among Russian troops stationed near Kharkiv.
At the time, Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (GUR) claimed that the illness was spreading rapidly through Kremlin forces, describing the situation as the virus “mowing down” Russian troops “en masse.”
Such recurring outbreaks indicate that rodent-borne diseases have become a persistent issue for Russian units operating in areas with inadequate sanitation and high levels of environmental contamination.
What is mouse fever? Understanding hantavirus infections
The term “mouse fever” is commonly used by soldiers in Ukraine and Russia to refer to hantavirus infections, particularly a severe form called Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS).
Hantaviruses are a family of viruses carried by rodents, including mice and rats, and can cause serious illnesses in humans.
Two major syndromes caused by hantaviruses
Hantaviruses are found worldwide and can lead to two main types of diseases, depending on the region and viral strain:
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS):
Most common in the Western Hemisphere, including the United States.
Typically caused by the deer mouse and other wild rodents.
The infection primarily affects the lungs, causing respiratory distress.
Early symptoms appear 1 to 8 weeks after exposure and include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, especially in large muscle groups like the thighs, hips, back, and shoulders.
Roughly half of patients experience additional symptoms like headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain.
Within 4 to 10 days, the illness can progress to coughing and severe shortness of breath as the lungs fill with fluid.
The mortality rate for HPS is high, with up to 38 per cent of cases proving fatal once respiratory symptoms develop.
Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS):
More common in Europe and Asia, making it the likely strain affecting Russian soldiers.
Symptoms usually develop 1 to 2 weeks after exposure but can sometimes take up to 8 weeks.
Initial signs include sudden-onset fever, intense headache, back and abdominal pain, nausea, and chills.
Other symptoms may include facial flushing, redness in the eyes, or a rash.
As the illness progresses, more severe complications arise, such as low blood pressure, internal bleeding, shock, and acute kidney failure.
Depending on the specific strain: Hantaan and Dobrava viruses: Fatality rate of 5-15 per cent; Seoul, Saaremaa, and Puumala viruses: Usually milder, with a fatality rate below 1 per cent.
Full recovery for survivors can take several weeks to months.
Given that Russian soldiers are stationed in Europe, the cases reported among the Akhmat Battalion almost certainly fall under the HFRS category.
How hantavirus spreads
Hantaviruses do not spread from person to person, which makes them different from many other viral infections. Instead, they are contracted directly from rodents or their environment.
The virus is primarily transmitted in the following ways:
Inhalation of airborne particles from dried rodent urine, droppings, or saliva.
Direct contact with contaminated surfaces or materials.
In rare cases, bites or scratches from infected rodents.
Conflict zones like Ukraine provide ideal conditions for outbreaks. Soldiers are often stationed in trenches, abandoned buildings, or makeshift shelters that are highly susceptible to rodent infestations.
Limited access to sanitation, poor waste management, and stockpiles of food create perfect breeding grounds for mice and rats.
The medic’s testimony from the Akhmat Battalion paints a stark picture of these conditions, indicating that soldiers are in constant, unavoidable contact with rodents, greatly increasing the risk of exposure.
No cure and limited vaccine options
There are no specific antiviral medications currently approved to treat hantavirus infections.
Medical care focuses entirely on managing symptoms and preventing complications:
For HFRS, treatment involves monitoring and supporting kidney function. In severe cases, patients may require dialysis to filter toxins from the blood and maintain fluid balance.
For HPS, respiratory support is critical. Patients with severe lung involvement may need intubation to receive oxygen and maintain breathing.
General supportive care includes rest, hydration, and close monitoring in a hospital setting.
While there are two vaccines available for certain strains of hantavirus, they are only licensed in China and South Korea and are not widely distributed.
This leaves most populations, including soldiers in Ukraine, unprotected.
Because of this, prevention is the only effective strategy, making the control of rodent populations and the maintenance of sanitary living conditions absolutely essential.
Prevention measures & safe handling
Reducing the risk of hantavirus exposure involves limiting contact with rodents and their habitats. Health agencies, including the CDC and Mayo Clinic, recommend the following steps:
Seal gaps and holes as small as 6 millimetres to prevent mice from entering.
Use materials like wire mesh, steel wool, metal flashing, or cement for sealing.
Keep food and garbage in secure, rodent-proof containers.
Wash dishes promptly and clean food preparation areas regularly.
Avoid leaving pet food out overnight.
Clear away brush, tall grass, and debris near buildings.
Move firewood stacks and compost piles away from living quarters.
Set traps along baseboards and in suspected nesting areas.
Use poison baits cautiously, as they can harm pets and humans.
Wear gloves and masks when cleaning rodent droppings or nests.
Disinfect affected areas with bleach or household disinfectant before cleaning.
Dispose of cleaning materials safely and wash hands thoroughly afterwards.
While these practices are feasible in civilian settings, they are difficult to implement in combat zones, where soldiers live in rapidly changing, unsanitary conditions.
Global reach of hantavirus
Although this outbreak is occurring on the Ukrainian frontlines, hantaviruses are a global health concern. They are most common in rural areas with large rodent populations.
Earlier this year in April, a high-profile case in the United States drew attention to the disease when Betsy Arakawa, wife of actor Gene Hackman, died after contracting hantavirus at their home in New Mexico.
Also Watch:
With inputs from agencies