A Russian soldier deployed in Ukraine may have been involved in an act of cannibalism, audio intercepted by Ukraine’s military intelligence agency (HUR) and released on June 20 suggests.
In the recording posted by HUR on Telegram, a Russian commander is heard telling a subordinate that one soldier, referred to by the call sign “Brelok,” killed and consumed his fellow service member “Foma” over a two-week period.
Ukraine’s military intelligence described the alleged incident as further evidence of what it called the “moral and psychological collapse” of Russian forces.
A Russian commander from a reconnaissance unit from 68th Motorized Rifle Division can be heard detailing the horrors one of his subordinates.
He says: “Nobody ran away. Brelok took him out and then ate him for two f**king weeks.”
The cannibalism is alleged to have happened near the villages of Zapadne and Lyman Pershyi, in the eastern region of Kharkiv.
The intercepted speaker adds that the cannibal was later discovered dead himself.
The commander is heard saying: “They say he was a 200 (military slang for a killed soldier), f**k.
“Well, he ate his comrade, so that’s something to think about.”
Previous recordings released by HUR and its ‘I Want to Live’ project have documented executions, looting, and troops begging to surrender.
A mass recruitment of Russian prisoners started in the summer of 2022 -led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, once the head of the Wagner private paramilitary group.
Prisoners were offered a clean record, full pardon and allowed to go home after six months on the battlefield, even if they were convicted of some of the most violent crimes, like murder and rape.
This is how multiple jailed cannibals were reportedly pardoned by Russian authorities and released to fight on the frontline.
