By Galina Korol | 2025-07-01

A Russian soldier reported missing may have been killed and cannibalized by a comrade, according to a claim by Ukraine's military intelligence service (HUR) based on an intercepted conversation.

The recording, released June 20 by HUR, has not been independently verified. It allegedly captures an exchange between Russian soldiers stationed near the front line in eastern Ukraine.

In the audio, a speaker identified as a unit commander refers to a soldier with the call sign "Brelok" killing and consuming another soldier, "Foma."

"So, (expletive) Brelok (expletive) ate (expletive) Foma. Nobody (expletive) deserted. Brelok whacked him and then (expletive) ate [him] for two weeks," the voice says.

Ukrainian officials say both individuals served in the 52nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of Russia's 68th Motorized Rifle Division, operating near the villages of Zapadnoye and Liman Pershyi, in the Kupiansk area.

According to the report, Foma had been listed as missing in action; Brelok was later found dead.

Another voice on the recording adds, "They say he was a 200 [killed in action], (expletive). Well, he ate his partner, so that's just something to think about."

Kontur cannot independently verify the events the audio clip describes.

Loss of humanity

Prolonged exposure to battlefield conditions -- sleeplessness, shortages of basic necessities and sustained shelling -- can test the limits of human endurance. Russian soldiers have operated under such strain for years, raising questions about how extreme stress might shape behavior in war.

"Even atheists start to believe in God. Never mind which god," said a Ukrainian service member with the call sign "Barsik," who spoke with Kontur about the alleged incident.

He recalled praying to a cross someone had drawn with saliva on a piece of plywood during a tank attack.

"It was the only image of hope," he said.

Barsik added that if the incident described in a recently released intercepted call is accurate, it reflects a collapse of moral boundaries.

"Cannibalism is never justified -- not by circumstances, not by fatigue, not by hunger," he said. "It is about the definitive loss of humanity."

Some Russian soldiers may be operating under the influence of narcotics, contributing to a breakdown in discipline, he said.

Extreme conditions

Understanding the conditions behind alleged acts of extreme violence among Russian troops requires examining Moscow's use of prison recruits in its war against Ukraine. In recent years, Russia has increasingly drawn from its prison population to bolster ranks at the front.

One such case is Dmitry Malyshev, a Volgograd resident convicted of a particularly brutal murder involving cannibalism. He had been sentenced in 2015 to 25 years for killing a Tajik man, cutting out his heart and recording himself eating it. Malyshev joined the Russian army in 2023.

Another former inmate, Alexander Maslennikov from Volzhsky, had been convicted of murdering and dismembering two girls. Both men reportedly signed contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry in December 2023 and joined Storm V, a military unit made up of ex-prisoners, according to regional news outlet V1.ru.

Ukrainian historians have pointed to historical and cultural factors they say may help explain reports of extreme behavior among Russian troops.

Vitaly Matvienko, a spokesperson for Ukraine's I Want to Live project, told Kontur that references to cannibalism have appeared in Russian history, including during the Soviet period.

Poor discipline and alcohol abuse within the Russian military contribute to violent incidents among troops, say Ukrainian observers.

"Alcohol abuse is common among them," said Matvienko. "That leads to fights, killings and internal conflicts. But the more this happens, the fewer troops they have left."

He criticized what he described as a disregard for human life within Russia's military leadership. "[F]or them, one more soldier or one less doesn't matter."

Foreign fighter atrocities

Another recent video circulating on social media has added to growing concerns about war crimes and extreme behavior among some fighters in Russian ranks.

In the clip, shared by the I Want To Live project on June 16, a man identified as Muhammad Davud, a foreign fighter with apparent ties to Mexico, claims he is fighting in Ukraine for financial gain. He boasts about cannibalizing victims.

I Want To Live seeks to encourage Russian troops in Ukraine to surrender.

"I'm not fighting here for Russia... I'm fighting here, I'm killing people here for money, (expletive). Only for money! I roasted the hearts of the people I killed like kebabs and ate them," he said in the video.

Kontur has not independently verified the video or the speaker's identity.

Ukrainian officials say the video highlights concerns about Russia's recruitment of foreign mercenaries, including individuals with violent backgrounds. Analysts warn that, if left unchecked, such cases could have long-term consequences beyond the battlefield, particularly if individuals involved in such acts return home without accountability.