Ukrainian military intelligence recently released an audio recording that they claim to have intercepted. The recording features a Russian soldier from the Belgorod region of Russia expressing frustration over the high number of casualties and describing the situation as a chaotic and disorganized wartime strategy.
The call was initially posted on Tuesday by Ukraine’s military intelligence directorate (GUR) on its Telegram channel. The Kyiv Post translated the conversation for an article published on Thursday.
The authenticity of the call could not be independently verified by Newsweek. An email was sent to the Russian Ministry of Defense on Thursday, seeking their comment.
The Belgorod and Kursk regions in Russia, located near the borders of Ukraine, have witnessed fierce battles following the invasion by anti-Kremlin Russian fighters last month. In addition to engaging in combat with forces loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the militias supported by Kyiv have also reported capturing the village of Gorkovsky.
In a recording obtained by GUR, an anonymous soldier shares the harrowing experience of his unit in Belgorod’s Grayvoronsky District, recounting the heavy losses they endured.
“It’s an absolute disaster. The soldier expressed his frustration, describing the situation as completely messed up, referring to the significant number of soldiers lost in his unit, as translated by the Kyiv Post.”
In another part of the conversation, the soldier discussed the establishment of a new Russian military brigade consisting of 500 individuals, referring to it disdainfully as a “gang.”
GUR frequently shares audio recordings of intercepted communications involving Russian troops, claiming to highlight instances of low morale among Putin’s fighters in Ukraine. One such clip shared by GUR in December featured two Russian soldiers venting their frustrations about the war and discussing the possibility of leading a mutiny against the Kremlin.
GUR has recently shared a collection of alleged conversations between civilians in the Belgorod region. In these calls, the individuals express their grievances about the disturbance caused by the Russian military’s nighttime firing of military equipment in residential areas, making it difficult for them to get a good night’s sleep.
“They have completely devastated half of Gorkovsky… And to this day, they continue to do so,” expressed a woman from Belgorod during a call shared by GUR. The Kyiv Post translated her statement for a published article on March 15th. She further added, “They have made the decision to place Grads [rocket launchers] at the intersection near Kirpichne. The noise is unbearable, like a torrential hailstorm at that very intersection.”
“I couldn’t sleep at all last night, not even for a minute. It was a complete nightmare!” she exclaimed.
