Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately report this developing news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
President Vladimir Putin on Friday (November 25) spoke to a group of mothers of Russian soldiers, who were sent to fight in Ukraine. Putin told the mothers that Moscow will achieve its goals. He also offered condolences to one of the women, stating that her son did not die “in vain”.
During a televised meeting at his residence near Moscow, Putin said, “We must achieve our goals and we will achieve them in the end.”
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As per the United States, tens of thousands of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers have been killed or wounded in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which started in February after Putin ordered a “special military” operation in the neighbouring nation.
But the estimate by the West is far less than what Russia claimed. As per Moscow’s last publicly disclosed report on September 21, a total of 5,937 soldiers had been killed.
Ahead of Mother’s Day, which will be celebrated in Russia on Sunday, Putin told the mothers: “I want you to know — I personally and the entire leadership of the country share this pain. We understand that nothing can replace the loss of a son, a child.”
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As per a legislation introduced by Russian authorities, any public criticism of the offensive will be banned effectively.
The meeting comes amid Putin’s administration is facing criticism over the deaths of Russian soldiers in Ukraine and also the recent military draft. The critics have even accused the Russian authorities that they are hidding the real number of dead Russian troops.
Concerns were also raised when Russia ordered the nation’s first partial mobilisation since World War II. Putin said that the additional manpower was needed to win a war against not only Ukraine but also its Western backers.
The Kremlin announced that hundreds of thousands of well-trained and well-equipped men would be conscripted and sent to the battlefield. But it led to chaos as people started to fly out of the nation, as per reports.
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