Russian Commanders Leave Soldiers Without Food, Steal Their Provisions: Intercepted Call

Morale among Russian troops may be falling as commanders steal provisions from soldiers, leaving them without food or water amid the war.

In an intercepted phone call released by Ukraine’s Security Service, a Russian soldier was recorded complaining to his brother about how they were left in the woods for three days without any food or water after their commanders stole their provisions.

"We sat out there with nothing (to defend ourselves with) for three days. Our army chiefs collected all the provisions that were sent to us, food, cigarettes and so on, and then they just ditched us and fu****ed off! We don't even know where they are," the soldier said. "They didn't leave us any escape options or routes, didn't bring the provisions, didn't give any guidance.”

The soldier added that they were so angry with their commanders that they considered either shooting their leadership or writing a “whole volume” of complaints to the Russian military prosecutor’s office once they go home.

Ukraine’s Security Service did not specify who the soldier and his relatives were. The agency also did not disclose when or where the phone call was intercepted.

The newly released intercepted phone call is the latest in a string of reports about demoralized and fatigued Russian troops turning on their commanders and generals as the war stretches into its eighth week. In late March, Ukrainian journalist Roman Tsymbaliuk revealed that a Russian soldier drove a tank over his commanding officer after his unit suffered a huge loss.

In mid-March, it was reported that some Russian soldiers used Ukrainian ammunition to shoot themselves in the leg to avoid fighting. Ukrainian ammo would make their self-inflicted wounds appear like battlefield injuries, therefore helping them evade Putin’s “death squad” who are tasked with shooting Russian troops who attempt to flee the fight.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on April 16 claimed they have killed roughly 20,100 Russian soldiers since the invasion began on Feb. 24. NATO earlier estimated that as many as 7,000 to 15,000 were killed in the first four weeks of the war. Overall, roughly 40,000 Russian soldiers have been killed, wounded, captured or gone missing.