“Nothing can replace the loss of a child,” Russian President Vladimir Putin told the mothers of Russian soldiers sent to the front in Ukraine.
The meeting took place on National Mother’s Day on Friday, CNN reports.
Putin speaks only to selected women. The Council of Mothers and Wives of Russian Soldiers announced on Telegram that they were not invited to the meeting.
It was held in Putin’s official residence on the outskirts of Moscow.
news” and “lies”.
“I want you to know that I personally, as well as the entire leadership of the country, all share this pain. We understand that nothing can replace the loss of a child, a child,” Putin said.
Why the Russian media cannot tell the truth about the war in Ukraine
“Life is more complex and diverse than what is shown on TV screens or the Internet. You can’t believe anything there. There is a lot of fake news, fraud, lies. There are a lot of information attacks,” Putin stressed.
He went on to say that he had personally spoken to servicemen in Ukraine on the phone, calling them “heroes”.
“I talked directly to the guys on the phone, and each of them surprised me with his mood, with his attitude towards debt,” Putin said.
“That gives me every reason to say they are heroes,” Putin added.
How huge are the Russian losses in Ukraine, because Putin continues the mobilization
The exact number of Russian soldiers killed or wounded in Ukraine remains unknown to all but a few in the Kremlin.
According to the Ukrainian military, there are more than 86,000 Russian dead alone, which means that the total number of Russian casualties, including seriously wounded and missing, is about three times higher.
NATO’s estimates are considerably more conservative, although they are much higher than announced by the Russian Defense Ministry.
Earlier this month, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley estimated Russian military losses in Ukraine at more than 100,000 in killed and seriously wounded, adding that the same is likely true for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
