The Ukrainian military intelligence service, HUR, published on Sunday an intercepted phone call showing how Russian commanders threaten and insult their subordinates to force them to participate in extremely dangerous attacks. In the recording, a Russian commander yells at soldiers who seem reluctant to advance on the front line.
“What do you mean it’s ‘plus-plus’ there? What the hell are you doing, have you completely lost your minds?” the commander is heard saying. “What the hell does ‘refusal’ mean? Move forward, damn it!”
According to HUR, the dialogue captures the enormous pressure that Russian field commanders are under, forced to quickly report results to their superiors, regardless of losses.
Extremely low morale among the troops
In the recording, the commander continues to push his men forward, invoking the urgency of reporting: “Faster, damn it, I have to submit that damn report.”
Ukrainian intelligence services say that such outbursts reflect an “extremely low moral and psychological state” in Russian units, where intimidation has taken the place of real leadership.
Against the backdrop of increasing resistance on the front, commanders are increasingly resorting to direct threats and humiliations to coerce their soldiers. “You damn… damn monkeys!” the commander yells at his subordinates. “Now you will go with them and attack there!”
VIDEO, HERE