'We share your pain': Vladimir Putin empathises with Russian soldiers' mothers

In the midst of the ongoing ruthless war in Eastern Europe, the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin has recently addressed a gathering of mothers of Russian soldiers who have been fighting in Ukraine and some of whom had been killed in the war. During the meeting, the Russian President empathised with the mothers and said, “We share your pain.” In his introductory words, which were broadcast on Russian official television, Putin added, "Nothing can replace the loss of a son." As per the BBC report, a number of mothers are active in pro-Kremlin organisations. They were deliberately selected for the meeting, according to critics. 

Furthermore, Putin was seen to be seated at a huge table with a group of 17 mothers during the meeting on Friday at his official residence outside of Moscow, BBC reported. Some of them wore mourning accessories like black headscarves. 

Russian soldiers' mothers have been vocally criticising the situation in war

It is pertinent to mention that mothers of serving soldiers from all across the nation have been vocally criticising the fact that their boys are being sent into war with inadequate training, equipment, and clothes, particularly as the extremely cold winter approaches. 

Following a number of significant military setbacks in recent months, some have also claimed that the Russian military uses civilians who were forcibly deployed as "cannon fodder." 

As per the most senior US general, Mark Milley, 100,000 Russian and 100,000 Ukrainian soldiers have died or been injured since the conflict started on February 24. 

Notably, Russian President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has been met with increasing resistance within his own country. Besides this, in a rare acknowledgment, the Kremlin admitted that its efforts to mobilize army reservists had been flawed in September. 

The President stated, "I want you to know that I personally, and all the leadership of the country, we share this pain," BBC reported. He also assured one mother that her son has "achieved his goal" and "didn't die in vain." 

In order to get their firsthand accounts of the situation on the ground, Putin stated that he intended to personally meet the mothers. He said that on occasion when he was speaking to Russian soldiers on the field, he referred to them as "heroes." 

The President also cautioned the women against taking whatever they saw on television or the internet about the ongoing conflict as fact. Since the Kremlin controls the media in Russia, it can be challenging to find unbiased news on the situation in Ukraine. To get around the censorship, many individuals have turned to virtual private networks (VPNs). 

According to the report, the women came from various regions of Russia, with at least one of them hailing from the self-declared Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine, which Moscow seized earlier this year. 

(Image: AP)