Relatives of Russian troops released a heartfelt message pleading with Vladimir Putin to bring their loved ones home and challenging him to personally take part in the war he started.
The group, mainly comprised of wives and mothers, has gained widespread attention in recent weeks due to their impactful messages and videos shared on the Telegram channel, Way Home.
However, their advocacy has not gone unnoticed, as the Ministry of Defence revealed earlier this month that the Kremlin may have attempted to suppress Way Home users by offering them payoffs.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) think tank also highlighted the Kremlin’s efforts to counter messages by using fake profiles to discredit Way Home users online.
According to a translation by The Moscow Times, the group’s message said: “We Russians have no hope left under your leadership … sit at the negotiating table. Let us live in peace! Or go to the front line yourself and die there.”
The post continued with a poignant question directed at Putin: “Will you not stop until you kill all the young people? Will you be having a good time ringing in the New Year with your close ones and a glass of champagne? Well, not our boys.”
Recognising the potential impact of public condemnations from Way Home members on Putin’s 2024 presidential campaign, the ISW expressed concern that the Kremlin views the relatives of mobilised personnel as a significant threat to the campaign’s success.
Accompanying the message was a video posted on Way Home, described by The Moscow Times as featuring a Russian soldier seemingly stationed in Ukraine.
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The soldier criticised Putin for not allowing troops to be granted leave time: “I watched ‘Direct Line’ with our president … and there’s no hope, no signs that our mobilised boys will return home in the foreseeable future.”
During the televised “Direct Line” Q&A session on December 14, Putin faced uncomfortable questions, including inquiries about the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Responding to concerns, Putin said: “The peace will come when we reach our goals, which remain unchanged — denazification, demilitarisation of Ukraine, and its neutral status.”
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