Ukrainian military intelligence on Tuesday published audio of what it said was an intercepted phone call in which a Russian soldier in Ukraine talked about being too weak from lack of food to wear his bulletproof vest.
In the audio posted by Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (GUR) on its Telegram channel, a man identified as a member of the Russian military speaks on the phone with his spouse about the poor conditions his unit has faced. At one point in the conversation, he claims his unit hasn’t been provided with food in three weeks. Newsweek could not independently verify the authenticity of the call.
GUR frequently posts audio of what it says are intercepted communications involving Russia’s forces. The calls typically serve as examples of low morale among Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces in Ukraine. Earlier this month, GUR shared a clip of a Russian soldier reportedly vowing to burn his passport and adopt an American name due to his frustrations about the course of the war.
Photo by GENYA SAVILOV/AFP via Getty Image
According to a translation from the Kyiv Post of the recent audio shared by GUR, the unnamed soldier told his wife that Russia’s forces where he is stationed had lost 100 men “in a few days.”
“The assault failed. Everything is in the s***. Everyone was killed,” he reportedly said. “Everything that we occupied, they [Ukrainians] have already recaptured.”
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense via email for comment on Thursday.
GUR did not include information about the Russian fighter’s location, but the Post noted that Putin’s military has sustained heavy casualties in recent weeks while fighting in the Donetsk Oblast town of Avdiivka.
The soldier went on to claim that Russia’s military command hadn’t brought food or water to personnel in his location in a timely manner.
“We haven’t had food delivered to us for three weeks. We haven’t had food delivered to us for three weeks,” he said, per the Post. “Today is already the seventh day since we have been brought water.”
Due to this lack of food and water, the soldier then reportedly said he is not capable of wearing his body armor.
“F*** it! I’m already taking off my bulletproof vest. I don’t have the strength to wear it. What’s the difference, it is senseless. The wounded soldiers are not taken out anyway,” he reportedly said.
The soldier continued with a condemnation of military authorities, saying “they don’t give a s*** about us and don’t give a s*** about the offensive.
“That’s all. I’m hungry and thirsty … That’s the whole war,” the serviceman said, according to the Post. The army of the country, the f****** army of the people. The army resembles the country.”