Top Russian Colonel Calls Putin 'Motherf**ker' In Leaked Audio

A pair of high-ranking Russian military colonels were reportedly caught dissing President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, with one of them calling the president a “motherf**ker” for his poor strategies in the war in Ukraine, according to a leaked recording.

On Monday, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFERL) Ukrainian service published a recording of a phone conversation where Russian Colonel Maksin Vlasov and Colonel Vitaly Kovtun were heard blasting Putin’s decision to have Russian forces retreat from Kyiv last month.

“A f**king rocket should fly into the Verkhovna Rada [Ukraine’s Parliament] in Kyiv. That’s it, f**k it. Why didn’t [a rocket] f**king fly? I don’t f**king get it, you’re f**ked, Putin—motherf**ker!” Kovtun said in Russian, according to the recording. “Why didn’t a rocket fly into Kyiv … something hasn’t been done the right way.”

The pair was also heard taking aim at the Russian Defense Minister who Vlasov described as an “incompetent f**cking layman.” They blamed Shoigu for the massive losses among Russian soldiers. As of Tuesday, it is estimated that 30,500 Russian troops have been killed in the war.

“He’s a layman in his work. This is not his f**king thing. He’s just a f**king showman,” he added.

“Shoigu is f**king sh*t,” Kovtun responded.

The alleged phone call reportedly occurred on or around April 14. RFERL also noted that they received the recording from Ukrainian intelligence.

Vlasov has been wanted by Ukrainian authorities since 2018 after he shelled the city of Mariupol in 2015. He had not been connected to the shelling until he implicated himself by talking about it in a phone call, which was intercepted, recorded and later covered by Bellingcat.

As of 2022, it is believed that Vlasov is holding a high-ranking position in the artillery service of the 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division of the 1st Guards Tank Army of the Western Military District of the Russian Federation. He was also transferred to the 1st Guard Tank Army, which has a command post deployed to the Belgorod region outside the Ukrainian border, according to The Daily Beast.

Kovtun is believed to be a doctor at the Naro-Fominsk military hospital in Moscow. He reportedly holds many military honors.