Intercepted phone calls from Russian soldiers in Ukraine show how unprepared young soldiers — and their country — were for the war to come. Many joined the military because they needed money and were informed of their deployment at the last minute.
How do people raised with a sense of right and wrong end up involved in terrible acts of violence against others?Ukraine
The intercepts show that as soldiers realized how much they’d been misled, they grew more and more afraid. Violence that once would have been unthinkable became normal. Looting and drinking offered moments of rare reprieve. Some said they were following orders to kill civilians or prisoners of war. The AP spoke with the mothers of Ivan and Leonid, but couldn't reach Maxim or his family. The AP verified these calls with the help of the Dossier Center, an investigative group in London funded by Russian dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky. The conversations have been edited for length and clarity.In a joint production on Saturday, Feb.
In the calls, there is an obvious moral dissonance between the way Leonid’s mother raised him and what he is seeing and doing in Ukraine. Still, she defended her son, insisting he never even came into contact with civilians in Ukraine. Many soldiers, including Leonid, talk about money with the wary precision that comes from not having enough. Some take orders from friends and family for certain-sized shoes and parts for specific cars, proud to go home with something to give.
Brasil Últimas Notícias, Brasil Manchetes
Similar News:Você também pode ler notícias semelhantes a esta que coletamos de outras fontes de notícias.
Putin Blames the West for Ukraine War, Defends Russia Invasion in Major Speech to NationRussian President Vladimir Putin has accused Western countries of igniting and sustaining the war in Ukraine.
Consulte Mais informação »
Putin not backing down on Ukraine, insists West is at faultRussian President Vladimir Putin accused Western countries of igniting and sustaining the war in Ukraine, dismissing any blame for Moscow almost a year after the Kremlin’s unprovoked invasion of its neighbor that has killed tens of thousands of people.
Consulte Mais informação »
Ukraine still fighting a year after Russian invasion, says more help neededUkrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov has seen a lot in the year since Russian forces crossed over the border into his country — and very little of it has gone the way the experts predicted.
Consulte Mais informação »
Live blog: Ukraine holding front line despite mass Russian pressure — KievRussia delivers a warning to West over Ukraine by suspending a landmark nuclear arms control treaty, announcing that new strategic systems had been put on combat duty, and threatening to resume nuclear tests, as fighting enters its 364th day.
Consulte Mais informação »
Russian ICBM test failed while Biden was in Ukraine: reportThe test of the nuclear-capable heavy SARMAT missile, dubbed Satan II by NATO, and classified as a “superweapon” by the head of Russia’s aerospace research agency, appears to have failed, according…
Consulte Mais informação »