Recordings of fighters’ wiretapped phone calls are juxtaposed with images of wartime destruction in Oksana Karpovych’s compelling war documentaryVietnam saw the advent of the visible war, documented by TV cameras; but the Russia-Ukraine war perhaps represents the moment we also get a fully audible one. With two relatively affluent belligerents involved, mobile phone coverage is ubiquitous on both the civilian and soldier sides. Juxtaposing intercepted calls back home from frontline Russian troops with shots of the devastation they have wreaked in Ukraine, this film is a bleak and searing wiretap into Putin’s warping effect on his people and the psychology of power.“A Russian is not a Russian if they don’t steal something,” jokes one woman when she hears her brave boy has looted some makeup for her. Set against the shots of ransacked living rooms, wrecked petrol stations and dimly lit bomb shelters, such casual banter hammers home a chilling normalisation of imperialism and aggressio...
The documentary *Intercepted*, directed by Oksana Karpovych, combines wiretapped phone calls from Russian soldiers in Ukraine with footage of wartime destruction, offering a chilling insight into the normalization of imperialism and aggression. The soldiers' casual banter, justifications for their actions, and support from family members at home reveal the psychological effects of Putin's influence. The film highlights how Russian civilians often condone violence against Ukrainians, underscoring the deep societal impact of Putin's rhetoric. The juxtaposition of audio and visuals creates a powerful exploration of war's psychological and political dimensions.
