Ukraine war: Putin tells Russian soldiers' mothers he shares their pain - BBC

"We stock your pain," Russian President Vladimir Putin has told a radical of mothers of Russian soldiers who person been warring - and immoderate of whom person been killed - successful Ukraine.

"Nothing tin regenerate the nonaccomplishment of a son", helium said successful his opening remarks, earlier the footage connected authorities TV was cut.

The Kremlin has not commented connected reports that the mothers were pro-Putin and cautiously chosen for the meeting.

Within Russia, absorption to his penetration of Ukraine has been growing.

Across the country, groups of mothers of serving soldiers person been openly complaining that their sons are being sent into conflict poorly trained and without capable weapons and clothing, particularly arsenic the bitterly acold wintertime sets in.

Some person besides accused the Russian subject of turning those forcefully deployed into "cannon fodder", pursuing a drawstring of dense subject defeats successful caller months.

In a uncommon admission, the Kremlin said successful September that mistakes had been made successful its thrust to mobilise service reservists.

At Friday's gathering astatine his authorities residence adjacent Moscow, Mr Putin was shown sitting astatine a ample array with a radical of 17 mothers. Some of them wore acheronian headscarves - a awesome of mourning.

"I privation you to cognize that I personally, and each the enactment of the country, we stock this pain," the president said.

He told 1 parent her lad had "achieved his goal" and "didn't dice successful vain".

Mr Putin said helium wanted to conscionable the mothers face-to-face to perceive from them first-hand astir the concern connected the ground.

And helium revealed that from clip to clip helium was speaking straight to Russian soldiers connected the battlefield, describing them arsenic "heroes".

The president besides urged the women not to judge "fakes" and "lies" astir the raging warfare connected TV oregon the internet.

While getting balanced quality connected the concern successful Ukraine is hard successful Russia due to the fact that of the Kremlin's power implicit the media, galore radical person turned to utilizing virtual backstage networks (VPNs) to bypass the censorship.

Several of the women astatine the gathering were identified by absorption Russian media outlets arsenic being portion of pro-Putin movements. This was aboriginal confirmed by the Kremlin.

A transcript of the gathering released respective hours aboriginal stated that the women were from antithetic parts of Russia.

At slightest 1 was from the self-proclaimed Luhansk People's Republic successful eastbound Ukraine, which Moscow declared annexed earlier this year.

A subordinate of the Kremlin-backed All-Russian Popular Front was besides determination arsenic good arsenic a subordinate of the Combat Brotherhood organisation, which collects humanitarian assistance for Russian soldiers.

A lawmaker from the governing United Russia enactment was besides astatine the meeting, according to immoderate absorption media outlets.

In caller weeks mothers and wives of Russians drafted into the service person been posting corporate video messages complaining astir however their sons and husbands person been sent disconnected to warfare untrained and ill-equipped. Some women person been appealing straight to President Putin, the commander-in-chief, to benignant things out.

The "Putin meets mothers" lawsuit seems to beryllium an effort by the Kremlin to person Russians that their president cares astir the soldiers he's sending into battle, arsenic good arsenic their families.

"We recognize thing tin regenerate the nonaccomplishment of a son, a child," Mr Putin said. "Especially for a mother, to whom we are each indebted for bringing this kid into the world."

Considering the standard of decease and demolition successful Ukraine from Russia's invasion, these words are definite to infuriate Ukrainians.

Mr Putin tried to travel crossed arsenic a caring Kremlin leader. But support successful mind: it was his determination to invade Ukraine. The "special subject operation" is his idea.

And successful nationalist astatine slightest helium has nary regrets.

He told 1 mother: "Some radical dice of vodka, and their lives spell unnoticed. But your lad truly lived and achieved his goal. He didn't dice successful vain."

On Friday, President Putin declared that "life is much analyzable than what they amusement connected TV oregon adjacent connected the internet".

I'd hold with him, astir tv successful Russia, which continues to represent the Kremlin's parallel world of events successful Ukraine.