Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the mothers of soldiers killed in Ukraine on Friday, pledging that he and all other Russian leaders share their pain and grief.
The war in Ukraine, which has entered its tenth month, has left tens of thousands dead and wounded on both sides, the United States says. Moscow has sent hundreds of thousands of troops to Ukraine since February 24, including some of the more than 300,000 reservists mobilized since September on presidential orders. “I want you to know that I personally and all the leaders of the country share your pain”Vladimir Putin said the mothers gathered around a long table, which was served with bowls of tea, pastries and fresh berries. “We understand that nothing can compensate for the loss of a son, especially the loss of a mother.”he added. “We share this pain.” None of the military mothers’ statements were first televised.
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War in Ukraine: Vladimir Putin meets mothers of Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine
No regrets
The official Russian toll given by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in late September was 5,937 soldiers killed in action, far below most Western estimates. Ukraine does not release figures on losses suffered by its military. Vladimir Putin has promised that he has no regrets about introducing what Moscow has always called a “Special Military Operation” In Ukraine and decades later it was presented as an act of resistance to the hegemonic tendencies of the West “shame” of Russia following the fall of the Soviet Union. Ukraine and its Western backers are responsible for starting the war without any justification. Kiev pledges that its troops will continue to fight until the last Russian soldier is expelled from Ukrainian territory.
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