Tragedy in Kursk: Russian mothers demand action after conscript deaths
At least 159 Russian conscript soldiers have been killed in recent days during the Ukrainian offensive on Russian territory. This is confirmed by obituaries appearing on the internet. Mothers of the fallen soldiers have written a special petition to Vladimir Putin.
In August, it will be exactly two and a half years since the war in Ukraine began. During this time, both sides have repeatedly taken initiative.
For several days, the Ukrainian offensive on Russian territory has been ongoing. It surprised not only observers but also the Russians themselves, who - just before the Ukrainians entered the Kursk region - moved soldiers to the neighbouring Belgorod region. As a result, only inexperienced and poorly armed conscripts remained in this area.
They very quickly showed that they were not capable of defending the land. Many of them therefore surrendered without a fight or were killed.
Russian mothers appeal to Vladimir Putin
At the age of 22, unafraid to give his life, he stood in defense of children, women, and the elderly of the Kursk region — reads the obituary of the 22-year-old soldier Georgiy Jaderny, who was killed during the Ukrainian offensive on Russian territory.
The subsequent deaths of young and inexperienced soldiers quickly met with a reaction from society. Oksana Deeva, one of the mothers of a conscript serving in the area around the village of Korenewo, even created a special petition addressed to Vladimir Putin, asking for the conscripts to be moved from war zones. It has already been signed by 4,500 people.
We, the mothers of conscripts, ask for their removal from the areas of military operations. They have no experience in repelling the enemy or in handling weapons. Today a full-scale offensive is taking place on our territory. Save the lives of soldiers unprepared for warfare – reads the plea quoted by the "Ważnyje Istorie" portal.
Some relatives of the conscripts admit that the number of killed and arrested is significantly higher than the official data provided by the army. Despite this the Russian command is still transferring more conscript soldiers to the Kursk region.
