Ukraine Releases Intercept of Russian Commander Abandoning Wounded in Pokrovsk

(KYIV, UKRAINE) – Ukrainian military intelligence has released an intercepted radio conversation that appears to expose the Russian command’s deliberate abandonment of wounded soldiers on the frontline in the Pokrovsk direction.

The audio, published on 26 April 2026, captures a serviceman from the 439th Motorised Rifle Regiment of the 30th Separate Motorised Rifle Brigade, part of Russia’s 2nd Army, describing a comrade lying “barely alive, completely frozen.”

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, also known as GUR, distributed the recording with the assessment that such orders constitute a guaranteed death sentence for Russian personnel. The agency noted that commanders are instructing wounded soldiers to remain in position, a practice it said seriously degrades the overall combat capability of the units involved.

In the intercepted exchange, one occupier is heard reporting on the condition of a casualty designated by the military code “300th,” the Soviet era term for wounded. “This 300th one too, barely alive in my arms, all wet, all frozen, I gave him a poncho, I wrapped the poncho a little,” the soldier says.

The conversation contains no reference to medical evacuation. Instead, the commander issues a blunt order: “Not an option, not an option, they will just turn off, I told you, at one point you will just never wake up.”

The GUR emphasised that the recording reflects the reality of what Russian propaganda once termed the “second army of the world.” The agency contrasted the commander’s sole advice “not to give up” with the guaranteed fatal outcome of such orders on the battlefield.

Ukrainian military intelligence reiterated its call for Russian servicemen to surrender through the secure Telegram bot of the “I Want to Live” project. The intercepted footage was released by the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, documenting an incident in the Pokrovsk direction, Donetsk Oblast.