The stated purpose is to treat a gunshot wound by sticking it inside. Apparently it's what they learnt to do in Chechnya.
Just to steel-man the position, I have heard of US soldiers I know who did the same thing in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of course, the difference there being that the US soldiers who did it were doing it as an entirely homebrew solution, and not on the official orders of the military.
Just to steel-man the position, I have heard of US soldiers I know who did the same thing in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Of course, the difference there being that the US soldiers who did it were doing it as an entirely homebrew solution, and not on the official orders of the military.