Overview

• Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate intercepted a June 20 call between Russian troops discussing how Brelok killed and ate Foma for two weeks.
• Both soldiers were members of the 52nd separate reconnaissance battalion operating on the Kupiansk axis.
• Brelok was later reported killed in action, reflecting extreme survival measures and breakdown of discipline.
• The Russian Defence Ministry has bolstered its ranks with convicted criminals, including cannibal Dmitry Malyshev and murderer-rapist Alexander Maslennikov.
• Ongoing Ukrainian signal intelligence since February 2022 has exposed deep moral and psychological decline among Russian occupation forces.