Ukrainian Military Slang: Glossary Born Under Fire

Ukrainian military slang blends irony, acronyms, and direct, often humorous, terminology to describe the harsh realities of war. The slang is characterized by a strong sense of humor used as a coping mechanism, turning fearful situations into ironic.

The war forces people to name things quickly, clearly, and without unnecessary politeness. When artillery works nonstop and EW cuts communication, language becomes a tool of survival. Words must be short and sharp. They must carry meaning even through static. That is exactly why frontline slang sounds harsh to outsiders — yet for us, it remains practical first and emotional second.

Born in the Trenches

At the same time, this is not random swearing. Ukrainian Military Slang reflects experience accumulated since 2014 and reshaped after the full-scale invasion. Each term captures something specific: a tactic, a type of enemy behavior, a weapon, a pattern we noticed the hard way. Some words appeared during chaotic mobilization waves. Others emerged when FPV drones changed the geometry of the battlefield. Therefore, the language keeps adapting as fast as the war itself.

Western readers sometimes expect neutral terminology. Yet neutrality disappears the moment someone tries to kill you. The vocabulary used by Ukrainian defenders is direct because the reality is direct. These words reduce reaction time, simplify identification, and sometimes help soldiers cope psychologically with what they see every day.

This glossary explains that layer of language without sanitizing it. It does not romanticize anything. Instead, it documents how Military Slang functions in real combat conditions — who uses it, why it exists, and how it evolves. If new tactics appear, new terms follow. And if the battlefield changes again tomorrow, the language will change with it.

So, Words Born in the Trenches:

• 200th (two-hundredth) – Ukrainian Army slang for KIA (Killed in Action). From the military code “Cargo 200” for transporting dead bodies.
• 300th (three-hundredth) – Ukrainian Army slang for WIA (Wounded in Action). From the military code “Cargo 300” for transporting wounded.
• Aquafresh – sarcastic term widely used among Ukrainian soldiers to describe the occupiers’ flag. Refers to the tricolor resemblance to the Aquafresh toothpaste stripes.
• Anala Govnet – wordplay in Russian language: “analagov net” / “anala govnet”. Depending on spacing, it can mean either “no analogs” or “anal sex with shit”. Used ironically for Orc things that never live up to the hype. Example: Lada cars.
• Bavovna (Cotton) – Ironic term for explosions in Russian-occupied territory or Russia, originating from Russian media trying to avoid the word “vzryv” (explosion).
• BEK – (Ukrainian abbreviation for “БезЕкіпажний Катер”, БЕК, literally “uncrewed boat”). A Ukrainian surface naval drone used primarily for reconnaissance and strike operations.
• Chmobik – a wordplay from “chmo” (a derogatory term expressing contempt) and “mobik” (short for “mobilized”). Refers to a poorly trained, hastily mobilized Pidar — effectively low-quality cannon fodder.
• Gave a hat (Ukrainian “дати шапку”) – from naval slang, meaning to release a thick column of smoke. Used sarcastically on WiU regarding russian oil refineries, since after meeting the Ukrainian drones they also release thick columns of smoke.
• GRAU (ГРАУ) – Russian military abbreviation for the Main Missile and Artillery Directorate.
• GUR (Ukrainian: ГУР) – the military intelligence agency of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine.
• KAB (Kerovana Aviatsiyna Bomba) – Guided Aerial Bomb. A cheap but powerful munition the ruSSians use to strike civilian cities.
• Kadyrivtsy – fighters of Ramzan Kadyrov serving Moscow. Chechen volunteers fighting for Ukraine reject calling them Chechens. We respect our brothers-in-arms.
• Katsap – a historical term used for soldiers/mercenaries of Muscovy or the Tsardom of Moscow. The term may be linked to the Arabic/Turkic word qassab/kasab (قصاب, meaning “butcher” or “slaughterer”)
• Khrobak – term used by Madyar and USF pilots for the Pidars. Literally “vile worm” or “maggot” in Ukrainian. In nature, worms are food for birds; in war, Madyar’s Birds annihilate the Khrobaks.
• Khuilo – the most popular nickname for Russian dictator V. Putin. First used during the 2014 invasion, and since 2022 most Ukrainians call him only that. See more on Wikipedia.
• Minus – to neutralize or kill an enemy target.
• Muscovite – a historical term used for Russians in the times when Russia was known as Muscovy or the Tsardom of Moscow.
• Orcs – a common term for Russians who support or participate in the armed aggression against Ukraine. Dehumanizing? Yes. Accurate? Also yes.
• Pidar (pronounced “pidar”) – Ukrainian military slang for a Russian service member. In radio communications, the word “Pidar” sounds shorter and clearer than “Enemy” especially under EW.
• Plus (or Plus-plus) – Roger that / understood, used heavily in radio communication to confirm or agree.
• Pootin – softer, child-friendly version of Khuylo. Used when texts may be read by kids, keeps the mockery without profanity.
• Ruscism – Russian fascism; an ideology combining imperial nationalism, militarism, aggressive expansionism, and religious manipulation. See more on Wikipedia.
• Sovok – sarcastic abbreviation for “Soviet Union,” derived from “Sovetskiy Soyuz”. The word also means “dustpan,” carrying a double connotation of trashiness and backwardness.
• SVO – abbreviation of “Spetsialnaya Voennaya Operatsiya” (“special military operation”). Since 2022, this is the euphemism used by Orcs to describe their full-scale war against Ukraine.
• Swamps – an ironic name for Russia, emphasizing decay, stagnation, and filth. The Commander of the USF, Robert Browdie, and most soldiers use this word.
• Towelhead – a derogatory term for supporters of Iran’s regime. Offensive? Yes. Context matters when the same people supply Shahed drones used to kill civilians.
• USF – Unmanned Systems Forces, Ukraine’s newly established branch of the Armed Forces. No, not the U.S. Navy — in Ukraine USF means those who destroy Russian bombers, not those who park aircraft carriers.
• Wunderwaffe – borrowed German term meaning “wonder‑weapon”. Used ironically for the Orcs’ “super-weapons”. Examples: T‑90 tank, AK‑12 assault rifle.

How War Changes Language

It is important to understand that our glossary is constantly updated because modern war keeps changing — and with it, Ukrainian Military Slang evolves as well.

For example, the term “Chmobik” appeared back in 2022, when we began to distinguish Pidars by their level of training — and therefore by the level of danger they actually posed to us.

Meanwhile, the term “Khrobak” gained wide use in 2025, when FPV drones became a mass weapon on the battlefield. As a result, technology changed the logic of survival. Because an FPV drone does not care who stands in front of it — an elite spetsnaz operator or cannon-fodder Chmobik — the outcome is the same.

That is exactly how Ukrainian Military Slang works — it reacts to tactics, to weapons, to losses, and adapts in real time. In other words, these terms reflect reality as it unfolds. All these words are not invented in offices — instead, they are born under artillery fire, during evacuations, inside trenches, and sometimes written down an hour after a strike.