President Vladimir Putin spoke on Friday to a carefully selected group of mothers of Russian soldiers sent to fight in Ukraine who praised his leadership, as he told them their sons had not died in vain.
Tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides have been killed or wounded in the conflict sparked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, official US figures show.
Hundreds of thousands of Russians have been sent to fight in Ukraine — including some of the more than 300,000 called up as part of a mobilisation announced in September.
Hundreds of thousands of men have fled Russia to escape the draft and dissatisfaction with soldiers' lack of equipment and training as well as the chaotic nature of the mobilisation can be found across social media.
Protests against the war and the enlistment drive have been crushed by security forces.
Mr Putin was shown in recordings meeting 17 women at his Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow to mark Sunday's Russian Mother's Day, sitting around a table laden with tea, cakes and berries, and listening to their stories for more than two hours.
The Russian President said he understood their anxiety and concern — and the pain of those who had lost sons.
“I would like you to know that I personally, and the whole leadership of the country, we share your pain,” he said.
“We understand that nothing can replace the loss of a son — especially for a mother.”
Mr Putin praised the women's sons for defending “Novorossiya”, literally “new Russia”, a loaded term from the tsarist empire that modern nationalists use to describe the large parts of southern and eastern Ukraine that Russia now claims.
The president said he sometimes called soldiers at the front and that their words had made them heroes in his eyes.
The mothers, from all over Russia and from different ethnic groups, in turn expressed thanks for Mr Putin's leadership and wished him well, before telling of sons who had fought or died in the service of a noble cause.
“The special military operation has brought us together,” Maria Kostyuk told him before suggesting that the homes of fallen soldiers should be given a star to hang on the door, as they had been in the Second World War.
Most did bring complaints, but they were about low-level issues such as a lack of good clothing for the soldiers, the need for more drones at the front or the indifference of some officials.
Nina Pshenichkina, from Ukraine's Donetsk province, said the loss of her son had inspired her to work even harder to make the region — now unilaterally annexed by Moscow — a part of Russia.
“Your son lived and his goal has been achieved,” Mr Putin told her. “And that means he did not leave life in vain.”
Other relatives of soldiers killed in the war said the Kremlin had ignored their pleas for a meeting and that the one hosted by Mr Putin would be carefully staged.
“The mothers will ask the 'correct' questions that were agreed beforehand,” Olga Tsukanova, head of the Council of Mothers and Wives, said in a message on Telegram beforehand.
“Vladimir Vladimirovich [Putin] — are you a man or who are you? Do you have the courage to meet us face to face, openly, not with pre-agreed women and mothers who are in your pocket, but with real women who have travelled from different cities here to meet with you? We await your answer,” Ms Tsukanova said.
Russia last publicly disclosed its losses on September 21, saying 5,937 soldiers had been killed. That number is far below most international estimates.
A top US general estimated on November 9 that more than 100,000 soldiers had been killed or wounded on each side. Ukraine does not disclose its losses.
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Jawan
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The National in Davos
We are bringing you the inside story from the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, a gathering of hundreds of world leaders, top executives and billionaires.
PSG's line up
GK: Alphonse Areola (youth academy)
Defence - RB: Dani Alves (free transfer); CB: Marquinhos (€31.4 million); CB: Thiago Silva (€42m); LB: Layvin Kurzawa (€23m)
Midfield - Angel di Maria (€47m); Adrien Rabiot (youth academy); Marco Verratti (€12m)
Forwards - Neymar (€222m); Edinson Cavani (€63m); Kylian Mbappe (initial: loan; to buy: €180m)
Total cost: €440.4m (€620.4m if Mbappe makes permanent move)
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Company name: Play:Date
Launched: March 2017 on UAE Mother’s Day
Founder: Shamim Kassibawi
Based: Dubai with operations in the UAE and US
Sector: Tech
Size: 20 employees
Stage of funding: Seed
Investors: Three founders (two silent co-founders) and one venture capital fund
Results
5.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m; Winner: Mcmanaman, Sam Hitchcock (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
6.05pm: Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Bawaasil, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
6.40pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (Dirt) 1,400m; Winner: Bochart, Fabrice Veron, Satish Seemar
7.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Mutaraffa, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
7.50pm: Longines Stakes – Conditions (TB) Dh120,00 (D) 1,900m; Winner: Rare Ninja, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.25pm: Zabeel Trophy – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh120,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Alfareeq, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9pm: Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (T) 2,410m; Winner: Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
9.35pm: Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m; Winner: Zorion, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi, Helal Al Alawi
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
England XI for second Test
Rory Burns, Keaton Jennings, Ben Stokes, Joe Root (c), Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Ben Foakes (wk), Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Jack Leach, James Anderson
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
