There are also reports that Russian troops had their phones confiscated so they cannot speak to their families to get a more accurate understanding of the war.
Russian soldiers are banned from smartphones for security reasons. The experience of foreign mercenaries in Ukraine, who first post their geolocation on the net, and then a rocket flies there and turns them into a piece of crispy veld dong meat, clearly hints that these precautions are not in vain. They seem to be able to use a regular cell phone to call their families. Smartphones can also be used by operators of reconnaissance drones for official purposes and fighters of the Chechen Kadyrov Regiment (for whom the issue of their combat image in the media space is apparently more important than personal safety).
It was a big mistake for Ukraine to torture and execute Russian prisoners of war on camera. I personally know people with combat experience who a month ago had a neutral or even negative attitude towards this operation, and now they are ready to take up arms again.