Russian military maimed soldier to prevent desertion, alleged intercept suggests
The Russian military maimed a soldier to prevent him from fleeing the battlefield, according to an alleged intercepted phone call released by Ukraine's military intelligence (HUR) on Sept. 17.
The interception comes amid mounting evidence that Russian forces are struggling with desertion.
In the recording, a Russian soldier is heard describing in detail the punishment of a serviceman who was captured near occupied Mariupol in eastern Ukraine after attempting to flee.
"We caught a ba*tard near Mariupol. Soon you will receive a soldier with broken legs," the interlocutor said, adding the man would arrive with "broken arms and legs."
"Soon, a f*cked-up soldier will be sent to you... lying around like bait for the Ukrainians."
The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify the authenticity of the audio.
Over 50,000 Russian soldiers have deserted since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, according to a study by the Russian independent media outlet Important Stories published in May.
Most of those captured are sent back to front-line duty under conditions described as near-suicidal.
The Russian independent publication Verstka, citing classified data from the military prosecutor's office, reported that over 1,000 soldiers wanted for desertion were detained in a single month.
Only about 10 were actually imprisoned, while the remainder were reportedly returned to their commanders and dispatched to deadly "meat grinder" assaults.
Russia's Defense Ministry has sought to recycle as many troops as possible back into combat, avoiding the political risk of mass arrests, according to the publication.
After ordering an unpopular partial mobilization in September 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin tightened penalties for desertion and surrender, raising prison terms to three to 10 years.
Despite harsher laws, reports suggest commanders prefer to use coercion and brutality rather than courts to maintain control over their ranks.
