Russian troops in occupied Ukraine must drink from puddles because of shortages brought on by Moscow’s attacks against the utility infrastructure, British military officials said Tuesday.

The water shortages have been exacerbated by above-average heat in the region. A pro-Kremlin military blogger noted that water rations for Russian pilots fighting in Ukraine have been restricted to one liter a day. That’s a fourth of the minimum water requirement for working in high temperatures, the U.K. officials said on X in their latest assessment of the battlefield.

Russian pilots have reportedly approached local citizens for water. The blogger appealed to Russian water-producing companies to supply troops fighting in Ukraine.

“Some Russian military units have been forced to improvise filtration attempts, using stagnant puddles for their daily water requirement,” the British officials said. “This has highly likely led to an increase of waterborne diseases among Russian soldiers.”

The water shortage leading to dehydration and an increased risk of infection will almost certainly hurt morale and operational effectiveness, the Brits said.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.