Kathrine Frich
Though banned under international law today, the practice appears to be creeping back into Russian military strategy.
Though banned under international law today, the practice appears to be creeping back into Russian military strategy.
Grim WWII Tactics Return to the Battlefield
Fresh audio intercepts published by Ukraine’s military intelligence suggest Russian commanders are reviving a brutal wartime tactic: using troops to block retreats.
Known as “barrage units,” these forces reportedly fire on their own soldiers to stop them from fleeing. The method evokes chilling echoes of Stalin’s infamous Order 227.
‘They Asked Us to Join, We Told Them to Go to Hell’
One intercepted call features a soldier refusing a proposal to join such a blocking unit.
“They came to us… we sent them straight to hell,” he said, in language stripped of military decorum but full of battlefield truth.
The raw emotion reveals deep discontent and fear among troops, according to Ziare.
‘Shoot the Recruiters First,’ Says Furious Comrade
In the same intercepted conversation, another soldier explodes in anger. “Those recruiters should be shot, you bastards,” he fumes.
The outrage reflects the psychological strain on Russian forces and mounting resistance to orders seen as suicidal or barbaric.
Order 227: History’s Dark Shadow Reappears
The tactic is steeped in Soviet history. Stalin’s Order 227 in 1942 declared “Not a step back,” authorising executions of retreating troops.
Though banned under international law today, the practice appears to be creeping back into Russian military strategy under immense battlefield pressure.
GUR: ‘This Is No One-Off’
Ukraine’s GUR intelligence service claims the use of such units isn’t isolated.
They suggest it’s a response to collapsing morale, skyrocketing losses, and chaotic command structures.
Blocking troops, they argue, are a sign of desperation, not strength.
Kremlin Keeps Denying… But the Tapes Keep Coming
Moscow continues to claim these audio leaks are fakes.
But the frequency and emotional intensity of the intercepts are painting a consistent and damning picture of internal disorder and cruelty on the Russian side of the front.
‘It’s All Real,’ Says Ukrainian Listener
“Maria,” a Ukrainian wiretap specialist, confirmed the grim reality in an interview with Kyiv Post.
“Sometimes I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” she said. “But this is the reality we live in.”
Her account adds chilling authenticity to the intercepts’ revelations.
A Military Strategy Built on Fear?
Analysts say the return of blocking troops reflects a military force stretched to the limit.
With poorly trained conscripts, heavy losses, and low morale, coercion may be replacing command as the Kremlin’s primary tool for control.
International Condemnation Inevitable?
If confirmed, the use of barrage troops could spark global outcry.
These tactics are considered war crimes under international humanitarian law and would further isolate Moscow diplomatically, even among some of its remaining allies.
