Russia turns civilian hospitals into military clinics as war casualties surge
Photo: wounded Russian soldier in a Russian hospital (Russian media)
Due to the continuous influx of wounded soldiers from the front line, civilian hospitals and maternity wards in Russia are increasingly being repurposed into military medical facilities, according to the Russian independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta Europe.
Journalists highlighted the situation in Omsk, where local authorities closed a women’s health clinic at the end of 2025 to transfer the premises to Russia’s Ministry of Defense for the creation of a veterans’ outpatient clinic. Maternity hospital No. 5 had already faced a similar outcome: it was initially shut for reconstruction and later turned into a military hospital.
"It was initially closed for renovation, and then it turned out that instead of a maternity hospital, there would now be a hospital for veterans of the 'special military operation'," said Danil Chebykin, founder of the Omsk Civil Association.
According to the outlet, hundreds of millions of rubles from federal and regional budgets were spent on the renovation and equipment of the former maternity hospital. After reconstruction, the building’s facade was painted in the colors of the Russian flag.
"After all, the facility is intended to provide medical care to veterans and participants of the special military operation," the regional Ministry of Health explained.
Chebykin said that Omsk is effectively being turned into a "capital of military medicine," as the city is located far from borders and is not exposed to drone or missile strikes. He also suggested that local officials are pleased that Defense Ministry hospitals are being built in the region and actively support such projects due to high corruption potential in this area.
According to Novaya Gazeta Europe, similar cases have been recorded in other Russian cities as well. In Moscow, a hospital for cystic fibrosis patients was repurposed into a facility for war participants, while in Rostov-on-Don, a maternity hospital was converted in the same way.
Wounded soldiers are placed in civilian hospitals
Due to a shortage of beds in military hospitals, wounded Russian soldiers are increasingly being treated in civilian medical facilities. In St. Petersburg, according to hospital staff, entire wards for military patients have been opened in many major hospitals.
A former nurse at the Dzhanelidze Research Institute of Emergency Medicine told journalists that the high number of wounded soldiers has led to shortages of antibiotics and medical supplies needed for civilian patients. Some soldiers were later transferred to a hospital in Severomorsk.
"Little is said about 'special military operation' servicemen because there are so many of them, and no one wants to admit that military hospitals cannot accommodate them," she said.
Shortage of doctors and hospital capacity in Russia
Amid a staffing crisis in Russia’s healthcare system, the situation continues to worsen. According to the Russian Ministry of Health, the country is short of more than 23,000 doctors and over 63,000 mid-level medical workers. Since 2023, war participants have been given priority medical care without queues.
Residents of Russian regions are increasingly complaining about limited access to healthcare. Social media users report a lack of hospital beds and say doctors explain that priority is given to participants in the war against Ukraine.
In addition, Russia is facing worsening economic and financial conditions. Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine’s intelligence services had obtained internal Russian government documents showing serious economic problems in the country.
According to Zelenskyy, Russia is reducing oil refining capacity, shutting down hundreds of oil wells, and some banks are on the verge of collapse. He also noted that Ukrainian sanctions and long-range strikes are increasingly affecting Russia’s economy.
