The Russian Emergency Ministry on Nov. 2 published an updated manual on how to dig mass graves during wartime.
The instructions have been reportedly distributed among Russian troops as Moscow's losses in Ukraine have–according to Kyiv–crossed 700,000 dead and wounded as of Nov. 4.
The manual contains instructions and illustrations on how to dig graves up to the size of 100 corpses. Such a grave must be 20 meters long, three meters wide, and 2.3 meters high and requires 368.5 man-hours, the document says.
The textbook also specifies circumstances under which it is allowed to cremate the dead and how to minimize chemical, biological, or radiological contamination.
The first version of the manual was published in 2021, one year before Russia launched its full-scale war. It contained instructions on how to dispose of a large number of dead in case of an attack.
Russia's heavy losses in Ukraine have been connected to its "mass wave" infantry tactics, which overwhelm Ukrainian defenders at the cost of thousands of killed and wounded.
To offset the casualties without instituting a full draft, Moscow has been offering higher financial rewards for military service and enlisted migrant workers and residents of poorer regions.
Most recently, Russia's ally North Korea has dispatched around 10,000-12,000 troops in support of its war against Ukraine.
Despite the staggering casualty rates, Russian forces have been advancing in Ukraine's east as Kyiv faces one of the "most powerful" offensives since the start of the full-scale invasion.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
(Updated: )
