Russia's Zinky Boys: From Afghanistan to Ukraine
Belarusian filmmaker and journalist Katerina Barushka explores the haunting parallels between Russia’s war in Afghanistan and its ongoing conflict in Ukraine, drawing insights from Zinky Boys by Nobel Prize-winning Belarusian author Svetlana Alexievich and intercepted phone calls from Russian soldiers on the front lines in Ukraine. These harrowing conversations reveal the same dehumanizing patterns of violence, suffering, and disillusionment that Alexievich exposed decades ago. History is repeating itself — with tragic consequences. (Runtime: ~7 min)
Katerina Barushka was a Hubert Humphrey Fellow at the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU in 2022-2023. She started her career path as a human rights activist in Belarus and moved into journalism and filmmaking, working for various international media like BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera English, and an independent Belarusian TV Channel Belsat.
Zinky Boys
Published in 1989, Zinky Boys by Svetlana Alexievich offers a raw and devastating look at the Soviet-Afghan War through the voices of those who lived it—soldiers, medics, and grieving families. The title refers to the zinc coffins used to return the bodies of fallen soldiers home.
The book exposes the dehumanizing brutality of war and the propaganda that sustains it. Praised for its honesty yet condemned by Soviet officials, it remains a powerful critique of state violence and a cautionary tale that feels disturbingly relevant today.
Defence Intelligence of Ukraine
The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine not only focuses on military, cybersecurity, and intelligence operations but also maintains an active YouTube Channel. They regularly upload intercepted phone calls between Russian soldiers and their families, offering rare and unfiltered insights into the realities of the ongoing conflict. Some of these recordings were used in this video to highlight the human cost and brutal dynamics of war.
Zinky Boys
Soviet soldiers were sent home in zinc-plated coffins.
Zinc was used to prevent decomposition and contain odor during transport.
Suggested Further Reading
Intercepted (2024) - Documentary about Russian soldiers' phone interceptions
'We were allowed to be slaughtered' - theguardian.com