Putin meets soldiers' mothers - allegations against Russia's president
Created: 2022-11-26 06:42
By: Daniel Dillman
Shortly before Russian Mother's Day, the Kremlin announces a meeting between Vladimir Putin and mothers of Russian soldiers.
Moscow - Russia traditionally celebrates Mother's Day on the last Sunday in November.
Shortly before the day, the Kremlin announced that President Vladimir Putin would meet with the mothers of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war.
The mothers of “the soldiers who are taking part in the special operation” will be invited, the Russian government said in a statement.
Then, on Friday, Russian media released a short video showing Putin receiving more than a dozen selected women at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo.
The property is located in Moscow Oblast.
Putin served coffee and cake.
"I want you to know that we share this pain with you and that we will of course do everything we can to ensure that you do not feel forgotten," Putin said
at the meeting , according to the Russian agency
Interfax .
"We are doing everything we can to ensure that you feel a shoulder at your side." According to official information, a total of 17 women traveled from various Russian regions and from areas of eastern Ukraine annexed by Moscow in violation of international law.
Vladimir Putin meeting the mothers of soldiers killed in the Ukraine war.
© MIKHAIL METZEL/AFP
Russia: Allegations of cover-up against Vladimir Putin
But according to a report by the British
Guardian
, the whole action is an attempt by the Kremlin to cover up Russia's heavy losses in the Ukraine war.
Valentina Melnikova, a lawyer for the Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia, told the Guardian the group she represents was not invited to the meeting.
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According to the
dpa
news agency , 300,000 Russian reservists have been drafted since the start of the Ukraine war.
The partial mobilization proved to be an extremely unpopular measure and triggered a mass exodus in Russia and the largest anti-war protests in months.
The demonstrations were often organized by women.
Because of the defeats suffered by the Russian army in the Ukraine conflict, many in Russia fear further mobilization.
(dil/dpa)
