Wars are won (and lost) as a result of supply chain logistics.

One of the most important elements of the war machine is a well-fed and well-equipped soldier. As such, most armies have dedicated logistics divisions to ensure supplies, weapons, and machinery get to where they are needed on time.

Consequently, supply chain interdiction or disruption is a powerful weapon of war. To interfere with your enemy’s logistical operations is to reduce the overall effectiveness of their combatants and thus their strategy.

Modern-day Russia was not prepared for this war to last as long as it has, their commanding officers have little regard for their soldiers, and they’ve historically had poor logistics to begin with.

This makes it easy to disrupt their supply chains, if they were even set up in the first place. Add this to tribalist infighting and a general lack of cohesion and you end up with people going hungry.

(Not a military)

Cutting the supply lines is one of the most classic military strategy. In most armies there is way more soldiers involved in logistic and support than soldier actually fighting. If you want to get rid of the soldier fighting on the front-line you can send other soldier fighting against them, but they are trained and ready to fight or you can just cut the supply lines by destroying bridge and bombing supply truck/trains. During Napoleon’s Russian campaign (people will start to believe I am obsessed with Napoleon) russia did burn the crop before withdrawing, and it’s how once they reached Moscow the soldier had no food left and Napoleon’s great army died from starvation while retreating under Russian winter

oh, and supply logistics were the reason the Romans built Roman roads, the reason the Germans built the Audubon, and the reason the United States built the interstates. it’s a big deal

Well, when you remember that a) Russia doesn’t give a shit about its soldiers and b) Russia doesn’t have a ton in the way of functioning logistics, it makes sense that the basic necessities are not being provided.

Honestly? They have limited resources, so they have to prioritize the most important supplies. While you’d think keeping your soldiers in good shape is important, it may be less important than making sure the artillery units are getting their regular shipments of shells, stuff like that.

Especially if those “soldiers” are just some cannon fodder you recruited from a prison and sent to the front with no training. They probably won’t live long, and you’re not expecting them to, so it becomes a waste to spend resources maintaining them.

Also, there might be some corruption at play. Rather than explain that myself, I’ll let Perun field it:

https://youtu.be/i9i47sgi-V4?si=nym2bddLZ1BW6zmL

This is part of how a much smaller army can defeat a larger invading force. The locals have all their supplies. The invading force has to bring everything with them.

The Roman soldiers occupying Britain ate 33 tons of grain every day. I believe that Guadalcanal, because of the rivalry between the Japanese Army and Navy, they let 22,000 Army personnel starve to death before evacuating them. just didn’t give a shit

Saw some research for the US military for deployable microbe fermentation “food factories” think it was like a humvee with a big storage tank on back. Bet it is bland as could be but food is food.

Short answer.

Harder than you think.