An audio recording purporting to have captured Russian soldiers berating their military leaders has emerged amid allegations commanders “abandoned” their army conscripts. Russian fighters in the audio clip confirm they “don’t even know where” their military superiors have fled to. One soldier referred to his commanders as “jackals” for deserting their invading troops in Ukraine.
Statements in the recording suggest the army leaders have been absent for “days” leaving their soldiers without essential fighting resources.
Russian troops described how they “sat there for three days without anything,” as their military leaders abandoned the fight.
The soldiers raged at their commanders for failing to provide “a way to retreat,” leaving them stranded in the war.
The audio details how the soldiers have struggled to sustain vital resources and had hoped their leaders would “bring food”.
In an expletive littered tirade, the soldiers condemned how their commanders enjoyed “cigarettes” among other supplies before leaving their Russian troops stranded and lacking direction.
Retired US army general David Petraeus analysed the audio and argued the admissions of the Russian soldiers was “not surprising”.
He claimed the lack of care for Russian fighters goes “all the way to the top” of Russian military command.
The former general highlighted Putin’s failure to recognise the sacrifices made by Russian conscripts.
The Russian President “doesn’t want to acknowledge these extraordinary losses,” claimed Mr Petraeus.
Read more: Putin’s ‘lover’ re-emerges after nuclear bunker reports
As the invasion of Ukraine burns on, Vladimir Putin has been largely invisible to Russian soldiers on the front line.
According to Mr Petraeus, the Russian President has made no attempt to visit hospitals or “wounded soldiers” since the outbreak of the war.
Russian military forces continue to lay siege upon the city of Mariupol as Ukrainian forces defend their hold in the Azovstal steelworks.
Ukraine has made urgent humanitarian efforts to evacuate citizens trapped in the city but the deputy prime minister confirmed a plan for an exit corridor had “failed”.