Intercepted calls from Russian soldiers in Ukraine suggest a growing number want out

By Erica Kinetz and Peter Hamlin

Earlier this year, Erika Kinetz of the Global Investigations team obtained a batch of audio intercepts from Russian soldiers in Ukraine that showed vividly how they descended into killing. Her latest story is based on a second batch of intercepts that show how the war has changed since — the soldiers are now ordinary Russians who were corralled into the war, and a growing number of them seem to want out. The intercepts capture their emotions vividly in their own words, and Lynn Berry helped with the translations. Kinetz took great care to confirm the authenticity of the intercepts, getting a freelancer to call the families. The haunting illustrations by Peter Hamlin beautifully convey the anguish of the men and their feeling of being trapped.