The mothers of Putin’s grieving soldiers are somehow familiar

Shortly before Russian Mother’s Day on Sunday, President Putin apparently wanted to set a good example. He met a number of mothers of alleged soldiers. Russian state media released a short video on Friday showing the president receiving more than a dozen selected women at his residence in Novo-Ogaryovo near Moscow and handing them coffee cups.

As the opposition medium “Mozhem Obyasnit” reports, there were some familiar faces among the women. Officials of pro-government movements, deputies of the ruling party «United Russia» and civil servants. The Belarusian medium Nexta also reports that some of the women have already been seen several times in Putin’s circle.

Like Nadezhda Uzunova, who worked in the government of the Russian Republic of Khakassia. She was previously on stage with Putin. The Russian news site “19rusinfo” also has an article about her from October 14, in which she reports on the mobilization in Khakassia. Accordingly, Uzunowa belongs to the veterans association “Combat Brotherhood” (in German: “Brotherhood of Combat”) and organizes equipment for mobilized soldiers in Khakassia.

“Mozhem Obyasnit” also identified filmmaker Olesya Shigina, who is known for pro-government and conservative-religious films, in the pictures. Their YouTube page contains a video with testimonials from Russian soldiers. «Russian voices. Brave,” she writes.

The medium was also able to identify a deputy from the Orekhovo-Zuyevo region, who also organizes equipment for mobilized people, the head of a department in a district administration in the Tuva region, and an official from Moscow.

On the other hand, the participation of a representative of the Chechen elite, Zharadat Aguewa, was openly reported. The Chechen channel Grozny TV reported that one of her sons is in charge of internal security in the city of Kurchaloi, another is a battalion commander. Both fight in Ukraine. According to Mozhem Obyasnit, one of them is regularly praised for his “heroic deeds” on the telegram channel of Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. According to the broadcaster, Aguewa said at the meeting that two of her sons are already on the frontline and she is ready to send a third son if needed.

According to official information, the 17 women had traveled from various regions of Russia and from Moscow-annexed areas in eastern Ukraine, in violation of international law. It is not clear whether the information is correct.

The selection was not only criticized by the opposition media, but also by the organization “Council for Mothers and Wives”, which fights for the rights of conscripts. Member and activist Olga Tsukanova directly attacked Putin in a Telegram video. “Do you have the courage to look us in the eye – honestly, in a session with women who weren’t chosen for you…?” adding, “Women you don’t have in your pocket, but real moms who traveled from different cities at their own expense to meet you?” She asked Putin to report to the organization.

(t-online, cck)