New York Times Posts Audio Of Intercepted Russian Soldier Calls

Ukrainian army soldier Dasha, 22, checks her phone after a military sweep on the outskirts of Kyiv last Friday (April 6, 2022). Smartphones have been essential for combatants and civilians in the war and have provided a means to share footage directly from the scene of fighting. (Rodrigo Abd/The Associated Press)  

Mediaite: Stunning Audio of Intercepted Russian Soldier Calls Reveals Panic in the Ranks, Orders to Kill Civilians and an Utter Disdain for Putin 

Stunning audio intercepted by Ukrainian law enforcement of Russian soldiers calling home reveals potential evidence of war crimes and the rank and file’s pure contempt for Vladimir Putin. 

In the shocking audio obtained by The New York Times, the soldiers paint a truly dire picture of their circumstance and rage against the man responsible for putting them there. 

“Putin is a fool,” a soldier identified as Aleksandr said on one call. 

“He wants to take Kyiv, but there’s no way we can do it.”

“When I come home, I’m quitting,” said soldier Vlad. “Fuck the army.” 

“I’ve never seen so many corpses in my fucking life,” added a soldier named Sergey. 

“It’s just completely fucked.” In one call to his girlfriend, Sergey said that he’d been given an order to kill civilians.  

Read more ....  

WNU Editor: I read the New York Times article (behind a paywall), and I am skeptical. Russian soldiers are strictly prohibited (under heavy penalties) to have a cell phone as explained by Moon of Alabama below:

Recordings "obtained by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies".
Only one identity confirmed.
Other 'verified' by comparing "social media profiles" (faked or not - we don't know).
Calls "edited for clarity and length".

Were there WMD in Iraq?
The NYT said "yes". https://t.co/f6Jsgmitib

— Moon of Alabama (@MoonofA) September 29, 2022

Reminder:
Soldiers of the Army of the Russian Federation are NOT allowed to carry or use mobile phones.
The policy is strongly enforced on all levels.
Despite that the Ukrainian Secret Service has published many "Russian phone calls" with lots of nonsense. https://t.co/1dyRCmQjCS

— Moon of Alabama (@MoonofA) September 28, 2022

Russian media is also posting similar stories on what Ukrainian soldiers are saying on their cell phones. I am also skeptical about that. Ukrainian soldiers are now facing the same prohibitions of having a mobile phone in a war-zone. 

I do acknowledge that some soldiers will go out of their way to try and have a mobile phone in a war-zone. But the risks are great, and you are only painting a target sign on your back.