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According to Ukraine, the recording points to systematic logistical problems in the Russian army.
The strain on Russia’s fighting force is becoming harder to conceal as new recordings surface from the battlefield. Ukrainian officials say intercepted calls are offering rare insight into daily conditions faced by soldiers.
The latest release adds to a growing body of material pointing to shortages and declining morale among Russian units deployed in Ukraine.
Voices from the trenches
“We don’t eat, we don’t drink at all. If I turned to the side, you wouldn’t even notice me,” a Russian soldier said in an intercepted phone call released by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency, known as HUR, reported by United24Media, a Kyiv government-backed outlet.
The recording, whose recipient was not identified, captures the soldier describing severe weight loss and fatigue. He said his uniform no longer fits, adding that it “hangs on him like a coat hanger.”
According to the soldier, food deliveries to his unit have almost stopped, forcing troops to survive on whatever limited supplies they can find nearby.
The recording has not been independently verified.
Logistics under strain
Ukrainian intelligence said the recording reflects a broader pattern seen in recent interceptions.
United24media reported that Russian front-line forces are increasingly left without basic logistical support.
The soldier also suggested his appearance had changed so drastically that he could only be recognised by his beard, a detail Ukrainian officials say mirrors other recent accounts of physical decline.
“These complaints point to systemic logistical problems within the Russian army and demonstrate the inability of commanders to provide even the most basic supplies to front-line troops,” HUR said in a statement accompanying the release.
You can hear the recording on YouTube here (opens new tab).
Sources: Ukrainian military intelligence (HUR), United24media
