Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, center, walks out of a trench, escorted by a group of officers as he inspects Russian troops at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. in December 2022 - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service

Russian troops reportedly contracted anthrax after breaking open a cattle burial site in a bid to dig defensive trenches in an occupied area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, Joe Barnes reports.

The unit was ordered into immediate quarantine after doctors confirmed the highly infectious disease  at a nearby hospital, according to Ivan Federov, the exiled Ukrainian mayor of Melitopol, wrote on the Telegram messaging app.

“The enemy unit is now in quarantine,” he wrote. “Two Russian servicemen were first brought to Melitopol hospital, but after the diagnosis was confirmed.

“They were quickly discharged and taken to an unknown destination.”

Anthrax is a bacterial infection that can be spread via infected animal carcasses and food. Symptoms include diarrhoea and vomiting blood.

It is not the first time Russian troops have fallen victims of dangerous dormant materials. Early on in their invasion, they disturbed radioactive dust at the site of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster when preparing defensive positions.