Ukrainian radio jammers taunted Russian troops as they fired on a town near Kyiv, it has been reported.
In the days after the Russians first invaded the country a column of armoured vehicles and troops moved from the northern border down towards the capital, in an attempt to encircle it.
On the way they began bombarding the town of Makariv, which sits about 50kilometres (31miles) west of Kyiv.
As with much of the invading forces' actions, the attack was broad reaching and brutal, with one shell attack killing 13 people at a bakery, according to Ukrainian forces.
The Ukrainian resistance remained strong however, responding with fierce attacks of their own and even derision over tactical radio channels.
The New York Times investigators partnered with ham radio enthusiasts to intercept some of the radio chatter between the Russian forces.
In one instance a Russian military member asked for clarification over the radio, urging the recipient to "respond more clearly".
All that came in response was a jaunty whistled tune, the apparent work of a radio jammer hopping onto the channel.
Another told the Russian, whose codename is Buran, to get out of the country.
"Buran, go home," they said.
"It's better to be a deserter than fertiliser."
In the month since the Russians invaded amateur radio enthusiasts have been picking up messages sent on unsecured channels.
Military experts have suggested that the invading forces' inability to properly encrypt their signals suggests a lack of organisation on their part.
As well as providing a medium for mockery, in keeping their radio channels open the Russians have given away important pieces of strategic information.
“Decision has been made to withdraw all Russian units from the residential area, artillery will target the area," one soldier warned during the invasion of Makariv, The Times reports.
In Luhansk Oblast at the beginning of the war a Ukrainian soldier on the front lines intercepted one message saying: "Our fighter planes start bombing in ten minutes. You understood me?"
In Makariv, the loosely guarded nature of the Russian radio channels didn't appear to have too much of a negative impact on their invasion efforts as the town soon fell.
However, this week the Russian forces were driven out of the town and many of the outlying areas, away from the main route into Kyiv.
Their failure to take Makariv is a telling blow to the Kremlin’s plan to encircle and capture the Ukrainian capital and enforce regime change.
