A group of mothers of Russian soldiers joined an activist group demanding the withdrawal of Moscow’s troops from Ukraine as they launched an online petition Sunday. Organized by the Russian Feminist Anti-War Resistance group, chose Mother’s Day in Russia to launch the petition on change.org, addressed to the State Duma and the Federation Council.
"Everything that happens in Ukraine and Russia worries our hearts. Regardless of what nationality, religion or social status we are, we — the mothers of Russia — are united by one desire: to live in peace and harmony, raise our children under a peaceful sky and not be afraid for their future,” reads the petition. "We are against the participation of our sons, brothers, husbands, fathers in this. Your duty is to protect the rights and freedoms of mothers and children, you should not turn a blind eye to all this."
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin used Mother’s Day to meet with a handpicked selection of mothers of soldiers fighting in Ukraine for a carefully staged meeting. This comes after dozens of mothers have gone public in saying they were snubbed by the Kremlin. Putin sat down with a former government official, the mother of a senior military and police official from Chechnya, and other women active in pro-war NGOs financed by the state. None of these mothers have been critical about the war.
“It is clear that life is more complicated and diverse than what is shown on TV screens or even on the internet — you can’t trust anything there at all, there are a lot of all sorts of fakes, deception, lies,” Putin told the women.
"Everything that happens in Ukraine and Russia worries our hearts. Regardless of what nationality, religion or social status we are, we — the mothers of Russia — are united by one desire: to live in peace and harmony, raise our children under a peaceful sky and not be afraid for their future,” reads the petition. "We are against the participation of our sons, brothers, husbands, fathers in this. Your duty is to protect the rights and freedoms of mothers and children, you should not turn a blind eye to all this."
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin used Mother’s Day to meet with a handpicked selection of mothers of soldiers fighting in Ukraine for a carefully staged meeting. This comes after dozens of mothers have gone public in saying they were snubbed by the Kremlin. Putin sat down with a former government official, the mother of a senior military and police official from Chechnya, and other women active in pro-war NGOs financed by the state. None of these mothers have been critical about the war.
“It is clear that life is more complicated and diverse than what is shown on TV screens or even on the internet — you can’t trust anything there at all, there are a lot of all sorts of fakes, deception, lies,” Putin told the women.
