DESPERATE Russian commanders have resorted to drugging their own demoralised soldiers to stop them from running away, according to intercepted messages and phone calls.

In the messages, shared by the Ukrainian Security Service, an exasperated Russian commander tells another he is "shooting up" his reluctant troops to make them fight in the war in Ukraine.

The video has been dubbed into English by Ukrainian voice actor Ivan Doan.

It opens with a text conversation reported to be between two Russian commanders on a messaging app, updating each other on the latest in Ukraine.

"What's up?" the first asks, to which the second replies: "Not good."

Apparently referring to his own soldiers, he goes on: "They're running away. My guys are also very scared now. Everybody's tired. No strength left."

READ MORE ON UKRAINE

Russia warns Ukraine may end in NUCLEAR WW3 & ‘we’re all going to die someday’

Brit dad named as first UK casualty killed in Ukraine fighting Russians

He added: "I'm even shooting them up. Doesn't help. I think they're very tired."

The video then goes on to an intercepted phone call which has been dubbed into English, again purported to be between two Russian soldiers.

One asks the other "how's it going?", to which the second replies: "It's ok. Everybody's apathetic already. Completely demoralised."

In an apparent reference to the high Russian death count or desertion rate, he goes on: "The companies are like 10-15 people left at best. The officers are already panicking. They want it all to end."

Most read in News

He goes on to say that his battalion has been fighting "for one and a half months daily," and says that three days ago, "many f***ing panicked" following a Ukrainian ambush.

The soldier also describes many of the younger recruits brought in to sure up Putin's forces as "f***ing cowards".

He concludes: "All-in-all, everybody's fed up with all this," and says all he wants to do is "go home, hug the kids, wife. That's it, I don't want anything else".

It isn't known exactly when and where the messages and calls were intercepted from.

However, this isn't the first time Ukrainian authorities have intercepted Russian correspondence.

Putin's idiotic troops earlier revealed their plans to capture Hostomel airport three days before on an unencrypted line.

When the elite VDV air assault troops tried to take the airfield 30 miles outside Kyiv, Ukrainian troops were lying in wait.

Their mission was pivotal to Mad Vlad’s plan to capture Kyiv in 72 hours.

But its failure wrecked his hopes of a rapid victory.

The blunder was revealed by the respected Rusi think-tank.

They're running away. My guys are also very scared now.

Ukrainian security forces also told how a Russian soldier's wife was recorded telling him to "rape Ukrainian women" in a sickening intercepted phone call to the front line.

In the shocking clip, the Russian wife is heard telling her soldier husband that he is allowed to rape women in Ukraine, as long as he "uses protection" and doesn't tell her about it when he gets home.

A woman's voice is heard saying in the clip, shared by Ukrainian security services: "So yeah, do it over there. Ukrainian woman there. Rape them."

She laughs before adding: "Don't tell me anything, understand."

A man on the other end of the call replies: "So I should rape and not tell you anything?"

The woman responds: "Yes, so that I wouldn't know anything," before both start laughing.

She then adds: "Just use protection," before the man replies again: "OK."

It comes as reports claim Putin's generals are turning on the tyrant as their soldiers continue to be bogged down in Ukraine.

Senior figures in the Russian army and security services have become increasingly frustrated with Putin’s handling of the deadly war as a vicious "blame game" exploded in Moscow.

Ukraine estimated that more than 22,000 Russian troops have been killed since the start of the war.

It is thought Putin's generals want to be let off the leash to storm Ukraine – and even go to war with Nato after accusing the West of fighting a proxy war against Moscow via its support for Kyiv.

The powerful Russian "siloviki" – or security bloc – have reportedly blamed Putin for a "serious error" after retreating from the capital Kyiv and concentrating on taking control of the Donbas in the east.

Russia had expected it could march across Ukraine without much of a fight – but in reality, they have faced a valiant resistance.

Overnight, Russia bombed Kyiv with cruise missiles while the UN was on a visit to the capital.

One of the missiles hit a residential building near a defence plant, and the number of casualties was not immediately clear.

In a further sign of growing desperation from the Kremlin, it has been reported that Russian troops are plotting to steal food in occupied parts of Ukraine after Western sanctions sparked major shortages back home.

The plan was accidentally revealed by a Kremlin puppet parliament.

Read More on The Sun

Harry Styles’ girlfriend Olivia Wilde is served custody papers ON STAGE by ex

Nasa’s Mars helicopter takes eerie pic that appears to show crashed UFO

It said Moscow will confiscate crops from Ukrainian farmers to help stock shops in Russia.

At least four million Ukrainians died between 1932 and 1933 when Stalin stole food from the territory in an act of "hunger extermination".

Help those fleeing conflict with The Sun’s Ukraine Fund

PICTURES of women and children fleeing the horror of Ukraine’s devastated towns and cities have moved Sun readers to tears.

Many of you want to help the five million caught in the chaos — and now you can, by donating to The Sun's Ukraine Fund.

Give as little as £3 or as much as you can afford and every penny will be donated to the Red Cross on the ground helping women, children, the old, the infirm and the wounded.

Donate here to help The Sun's fund

Or text to 70141 from UK mobiles

£3 — text SUN£3
£5 — text SUN£5
£10 — text SUN£10

Texts cost your chosen donation amount (e.g. £5) +1 standard message (we receive 100%). For full T&Cs visit redcross.org.uk/mobile

The Ukraine Crisis Appeal will support people in areas currently affected and those potentially affected in the future by the crisis.

In the unlikely event that the British Red Cross raise more money than can be reasonably and efficiently spent, any surplus funds will be used to help them prepare for and respond to other humanitarian disasters anywhere in the world.

For more information visit https://donate.redcross.org.uk/appeal/disaster-fund

Source: Read Full Article