Belarus turns its sanatoriums into military recovery centers for Russian troops
Photo: medical facility (Getty Images)
Amid the war against Ukraine, Belarus has become involved in the rehabilitation of Russian soldiers who participated in combat operations. This includes sanatorium and resort treatment provided on preferential terms and funded through interstate mechanisms, according to Russian media reports.
Sanatorium treatment for war participants
Belarusian authorities are offering treatment to Russians who fought against Ukraine, according to journalists from the Belarusian Investigative Center.
Their reports indicate that since 2023, the Lepel Military Sanatorium in the Vitebsk region, under the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, has been involved in this rehabilitation program.
The information was confirmed following phone calls with representatives of the facility, who were contacted under the guise of Russian state media employees.
Where Russian soldiers undergo rehabilitation
In addition to the Lepel Sanatorium, Russian servicemen are also treated at other facilities, including the Chaborok Sanatorium in the Brest region and the Sosnovy Bor Sanatorium in the Minsk region.
Vouchers for treatment are provided free of charge through Russian state institutions and affiliated charitable foundations, including the Defenders of the Fatherland Fund.
Funding through the US
A staff member of the Lepel Sanatorium explained that medical assistance for participants in the Russia–Ukraine war is provided under a contract with the Permanent Committee of the Union State of Russia and Belarus.
Formally, the document initially applied to people with disabilities and World War II veterans, but its scope was expanded in 2022.
In 2025, 26 million rubles from the US budget are allocated for these purposes. The exact number of soldiers who have received treatment has not been disclosed.
Belarus continues to be used by Russia as a military platform for aggression against Ukraine and potential pressure on NATO countries, as evidenced by drone strikes on railway infrastructure in western Ukraine.
Additionally, Russia has strengthened its influence over Belarus’s food sector, effectively controlling key market segments, highlighting Minsk’s deepening economic dependence on Moscow.
