Russian commanders are suspected of threatening their soldiers and forcing them to take part in attacks, according to intercepted military communications published by German media outlet WELT.
The recordings, provided by the Ukrainian military, contain communications where commanders use severe threats against troops who refuse to attack.
“If you bastards don’t answer me now, I’ll open fire on you with a tank,” a commander is heard saying in one of the recordings.
In another communication, a commander threatens soldiers that they will not be allowed to leave the combat zone without first taking the settlement that has been assigned to them as a target.
“I swear, none of you will return until you take this settlement. No one,” the recording says.
According to Ukrainian troops, Russian soldiers also face the risk of execution by their own forces if they attempt to withdraw from combat positions. Similar reports of the use of units to impede the withdrawal of Russian troops have been made earlier in the war.
In other intercepted communications, Russian soldiers complain about a lack of food and water. One of them allegedly says that they have had to drink their own urine to cope with the lack of water. Meanwhile, a Ukrainian intelligence officer claims that on some occasions Russian soldiers have even discussed the possibility of eating cats due to the lack of food.