Alleged Cannibalism: Audio Reveals Soldier Consumed Fellow Comrade, According to Ukrainian Intel Report
A recorded conversation suggests a stomach-churning tale of cannibalism within Russia's ranks in Ukraine. According to the recording, released by Ukraine's military intelligence agency (HUR) on June 20, 2025, a Russian commander admitted that a soldier named "Brelok" had killed and consumed his fellow soldier, "Foma", over a two-week period. The gruesome incident occurred within the 52nd Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the 68th Motorized Rifle Division, stationed near the villages of Zapadne and Lyman Pershyi in the Kupiansk region of Kharkiv Oblast.
The recording, posted on Telegram by HUR, paints a damning picture. The voice of a commander from a Russian reconnaissance unit, identifiable by HUR, boasts that "Nobody ran away. 'Brelok' took him out and then ate him for two f*cking weeks." Shockingly, the speaker confirms that "Brelok" was found dead later on, adding, "Well, he ate his comrade, so that's something to think about."
The Kyiv Independent has not been able to independently verify the authenticity of the leaked recording or the events described therein. However, the Russian recruitment system for the war in Ukraine has a troubling reliance on the country's prisons as a source of manpower. Since summer 2022, Moscow has been conscripting convicts, initially under the Wagner Group, and later under the Russian Defense Ministry.
These prisoners, even those serving for violent crimes, were once given a pardon after completing a six-month military contract. Starting from January 2024, Russia no longer offers pardons to army recruits drawn from prisons, but instead offers release on parole. They are expected to fight until the end of the war.
In May 2024, Russia's cannibal, Dmitry Malyshev, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder and other serious crimes, joined one of Russia's penal military units. Malyshev was conscripted alongside serial killer Aleksandr Maslennikov, serving a 23-year sentence for the "double murder and dismemberment of women."
Ukraine has reported cases of mistreatment and breakdown of discipline within Russian ranks. In May, a group of Russian soldiers surrendered to Ukrainian paratroopers, claiming that abuse within their own units was "worse than captivity." They alleged that they had been subjected to inhumane treatment, psychological pressure, and threats while still inside Russian territory.
Investigative outlets like The Insider and Foreign Policy have documented systemic abuse of Russian troops throughout the full-scale invasion, including punishment squads, beatings, confinement pits, and hazing reminiscent of Soviet-era gulag practices. The overall scene paints a picture of a force plagued by a deep moral and psychological collapse, supported by verified cannibalism cases among its soldiers.
Politics and general news outlets have been following the escalating war-and-conflicts between Russia and Ukraine closely, with particular focus on the troubling incidents of crime-and-justice within the Russian ranks. For instance, a shocking case of cannibalism was documented in May 2024, involving a convicted murderer, Dmitry Malyshev, who joined one of Russia's penal military units after serving a prison sentence. This case is not isolated, as Ukraine has reported numerous instances of mistreatment and breakdown of discipline within Russian ranks, suggesting a broader issue of moral and psychological collapse within the Russian military.
