Intercepted audio reveals sinking morale among Russian troops in Ukraine: Polish official

Poland’s civilian intelligence agency AW has intercepted another conversation between Russian soldiers in Ukraine, revealing increasingly dispirited attitudes in the Kremlin’s army, a Polish security official said on Friday.

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.aw.gov.pl

“The intercepted call shows the real situation in the Russian armed forces,” Stanisław Żaryn, spokesman for Poland’s security services, told state news agency PAP. 

He added that the tapped conversation „demonstrates what Russian troops fighting against Ukraine are thinking … and proves that the soldiers are aware of the discrepancy between the facts and the Kremlin’s lies.”

’Do they think soldiers will fight for $52 a day?’

According to Żaryn, “the soldiers heard on the phone call aren’t sure if they’ll receive their salaries; also, one of them claims the government in Moscow is manipulating the price of the dollar to pay them less.”

One of the servicemen is heard saying: “They are driving down the dollar to pay us less. Do they think soldiers will fight for 52 dollars a day? With rates like this, you won’t pay off your loan.”

The soldier also ridicules the Russian defence ministry’s attempt to recruit troops in his native town, which did not attract a single would-be conscript, according to the transcript provided by Żaryn.

Putin 'has no idea about what is really going on’ 

Żaryn told reporters that the conversation proves the Russian soldiers are aware of the mistakes of their commanding officers and of their disregard for the welfare of Russian troops.

“The commanders function in a different reality to ours,” one of the soldiers is heard saying.

“Putin is sitting in a bunker – he directs things, but he has no idea about what is really going on,” the serviceman adds, according to the transcript.

’Things are bad everywhere’

One of the soldiers says that “things are bad everywhere” in Russia, but adds that state propaganda is effective. 

“People have gone mad … Ten months ago they were criticising Putin, yet now they wouldn’t admit it,” he says.

“Television is now all about propaganda; the message is ‘Forward, Russia,” the soldier is also quoted as saying. 

At the same time, the servicemen heard on the phone call express respect for the Ukrainian army, saying it is “highly rated in Europe” and „impressive” in terms of both numbers and skills, the PAP news agency reported.

The conversation, which lasts over four minutes, is available, along with other  intercepted calls, on the Polish intelligence agency’s YouTube channel, reporters were told. 

(pm/gs)

Source: PAPgov.plYouTube   

Radio Poland

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