Ukraine's Drug Market Sees Alarming Unprecedented Growth

Ukraine has long been an active hub for illicit drug trafficking and even years ago was considered a relatively important transit country for heroin. In recent years, Ukraine has seen the world's highest synthetic drug market growth, and marijuana consumption has also increased significantly, according to a study. As a consequence of the war and the instability in the country, law enforcement against illegal drug trafficking has been neglected, and authorities are not addressing the key players in the drug market, leading to increased trade and production. Drug dealers are even present on the front lines.

The Ukrainian frontline is a key distribution hub for drug traffickers (Photo: AFP)

The synthetic drug market in Ukraine has grown at the fastest rate globally, according to an analysis by Global Initiative, which highlighted that between 2021 and 2023, the market expanded by 4.50 points.

Soldiers on the frontline in Ukraine often use illicit drugs (Photo: AFP/Anadolu)

The analysis also emphasizes that, similar to alcohol, drugs have become a major problem on the Ukrainian frontline. Fieldwork conducted by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) monitoring illegal markets and the conflict in Ukraine has revealed key findings about the extent of drug use on the frontline.

Illicit drug consumption is widespread and on the rise among soldiers on the frontline.

One fundamental issue is that active or former drug users are often drafted into the army without proper medical screening, and their addiction is being sustained. 

Reports indicate that forced conscription in Ukraine has intensified, with men being taken to the frontline indiscriminately and forcibly. In some units, drug users are ostracized, but they quickly gain influence in other battalions, becoming key contacts for soldiers seeking relaxation and escape—essentially frontline drug dealers.

Many soldiers use drugs as a means of escapism, while others rely on them to recover from sleepless nights under constant artillery fire. 

Some soldiers take drugs out of boredom, while others use them to stay alert in life-threatening situations.

The frontline has become a lucrative market for those involved in drug trafficking.

 Soldiers receive higher salaries than the average civilian, and some are willing to spend extra money on distractions such as women, alcohol, or drugs, making them easy targets for drug dealers. The Ukrainian drug market has multiple layers, including local individuals growing marijuana in their backyards and organized drug trafficking groups. Both supply chains find a strong market among Ukrainian soldiers.

Criminal groups are relocating their laboratories closer to the war zone to reduce transportation costs, 

according to the study.

Multiple Routes for Drug Trafficking

There are several ways drugs reach the frontline. Small quantities are shipped via mail to nearby cities and villages for later distribution. Larger shipments are often transported by volunteers—sometimes unknowingly—when delivering packages and gifts from friends and relatives to soldiers. Organized crime groups take advantage of protection granted through bribes paid to high-ranking military and police officials to smuggle drugs through numerous checkpoints. Increasingly, civilians such as taxi drivers are being recruited to transport drugs, and even soldiers themselves participate, receiving commissions from sales to long-time friends.

Drugs are often sold via online platforms, with Telegram being the primary distribution channel,

 according to the Global Initiative study.

Telegram channel names offering drug sales are written on walls, fences and in front of stores. These channels are easy to find, allowing users to pay for the desired product and receive delivery details. Complaints can even be filed if customers are dissatisfied with their purchase.

Cannabis remains one of the most popular drugs in Ukraine and is widely available. 

However, synthetic drugs are gaining ground, and their impact is stronger, evidenced by the significant increase in these compounds' availability in Ukraine. 

The 4.50-point market growth is particularly alarming compared to the European continental average, where synthetic drug trafficking increased by only 0.40 points between 2021 and 2023,

the study stresses. 

If Ukraine joins the European Union, the EU would be vulnerable to Ukrainian drug trafficking. This would open a new market for criminal groups involved in drug trade, potentially flooding Europe and border countries with narcotics.

📈 The Russian invasion has had a dual impact on 🇺🇦 #Ukraine's #drugtrade.

💊💉From disrupted cocaine trafficking to the emergence of synthetic stimulants, our report exposes the trends shaping the illicit drug market.

Explore the findings: https://t.co/Ze1pe8aAkS pic.twitter.com/GArsh7OkvI

— Global Initiative (@GI_TOC) January 15, 2025

Drugs Available Even in Hospitals

Some hospitals sell both legal and illegal drugs. 

Medications available on the frontline have become some of the cheapest drugs. Reports indicate that the risk of disease outbreaks in Ukraine is increasing, partly due to the lack of pharmaceutical regulations. As a result, virtually any medication is easily and quickly accessible, even legally.

Painkillers and certain sedatives, as well as broad-spectrum antibiotics, are readily available without prescriptions.

This has led to increased bacterial resistance, resulting in antimicrobial resistance, meaning bacterial infections can no longer be effectively treated, potentially leading to epidemics.

Intravenous drug use poses significant infection risks, particularly on the frontline, where conditions are far from sterile.

Drug Use and Epidemic Risks

Even non-intravenous drug use, such as cannabis consumption, can increase the risk of outbreaks. According to the Drug Research Institute, marijuana users have a weakened antimicrobial response. This means drug users, who often have compromised immune systems, may not be able to fight infections, as antibiotics may no longer be effective for them. The study also warns that marijuana can trigger epigenetic changes—alterations in gene inheritance processes—that can have significant transgenerational immune consequences for offspring.

Ukraine's Longstanding Drug Trade and Consumption

Even before the war, Ukraine was an active drug trafficking hub, particularly serving as an important transit country for heroin. Drugs entered Ukraine via the Balkan and northern routes before being transported to Western and Central Europe, primarily via the Black Sea. Due to its geographical position, Ukraine was a key transit country for Afghan heroin entering Europe. With the war and increasing instability, law enforcement against illegal drug trade has diminished, and authorities are neglecting key players in the illicit drug market, leading to increased trafficking and production, according to an Ocindex analysis.

Ukraine has always had an extensive cannabis market, with reports indicating numerous marijuana plantations across the country, making quantities of local production significant.

Additionally, Ukraine has long been a destination for synthetic drugs and psychotropic substances, particularly amphetamine-type stimulants, which were primarily smuggled from Poland, Lithuania, and the Netherlands. The use of these substances has been steadily increasing over the past decade.

Demand for cannabis and the designer drug alpha-PVP has risen, partly due to widespread consumption among soldiers, while mephedrone has also gained popularity.

Following the outbreak of war, the production of synthetic drugs in secret laboratories in eastern Ukraine has shifted, with production sites increasing in central and western regions of the country.

Cover Image: The Ukrainian frontline is a key distribution hub for drug traffickers (Photo: AFP)