A Russian serviceman guarding a checkpoint in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. EPA
A Russian serviceman guarding a checkpoint in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. EPA
A Russian serviceman guarding a checkpoint in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. EPA
A Russian serviceman guarding a checkpoint in the Luhansk region of Ukraine. EPA

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Russian families 'fear conscription of teenage sons'

'Sense of shock' among population over invasion and horror over Ukraine

Thomas Harding
Thomas Harding

March 09, 2022

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Russian families are gripped with fear their teenage sons could be conscripted and sent to fight in Ukraine, western officials have reported.

A “real sense of shock” that Russia has gone to war with Ukraine, where many people have friends and relatives, is present inside Russia.

“Parents of teenage boys are really scared of conscription and they don't want to fight in Putin's war,” said a western official. “This underlines that Putin doesn't understand Russia and particularly not the young and educated.”

A charred Russian tank and other captured tanks in the Sumy region of Ukraine. Reuters
A charred Russian tank and other captured tanks in the Sumy region of Ukraine. Reuters

It was also reported there had been no repatriation ceremonies for the return of Russian soldiers killed in the war. Last week Russia admitted it had lost 498 soldiers, but analysts' estimates put the number closer to 4,000. Ukraine estimates the number is as high as 12,000.

It is understood that Mr Putin’s regime is attempting to hide the true scale of loss, while there has been an increase in pay to soldiers’ families.

But citizens are aware that young soldiers are dying in the campaign. “It's a real betrayal of the younger generation, who are the ones who will suffer the most,” the official said. “Most Russians were totally shocked by the decision to invade. This is such a tragedy for Ukrainians, but it's also a tragedy for ordinary Russians.”

While some Russians still believe Mr Putin’s assertion that the invasion is a “special military operation” to prevent genocide in Donbass, “many are utterly horrified and many, many have family and friends in Ukraine and are hearing directly what is happening”.

A Ukrainian serviceman walks past the vertical tail fin of a Russian Su-34 bomber lying in a damaged building in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
A Ukrainian serviceman walks past the vertical tail fin of a Russian Su-34 bomber lying in a damaged building in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
An apartment building damaged after shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
An apartment building damaged after shelling in Kharkiv, Ukraine. AP Photo
A woman puts her head in her hands as she sits on a cot in a shelter, set up for displaced persons fleeing Ukraine, inside a school gymnasium in Przemysl, Poland. AP Photo
A woman puts her head in her hands as she sits on a cot in a shelter, set up for displaced persons fleeing Ukraine, inside a school gymnasium in Przemysl, Poland. AP Photo
Belarussian and suspected Russian helicopters on the flight line at Machulishchy Air Base outside Minsk, Belarus. AP Photo
Belarussian and suspected Russian helicopters on the flight line at Machulishchy Air Base outside Minsk, Belarus. AP Photo
Children look on as people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine shelter in a school, in Drohobych, Ukraine. Reuters
Children look on as people fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine shelter in a school, in Drohobych, Ukraine. Reuters
Families eat in the shelter. Reuters
Families eat in the shelter. Reuters
A woman looks out from a building damaged by Russian shelling in Mykolaiv, 100 kilometres away from Odesa, western Ukraine. AFP
A woman looks out from a building damaged by Russian shelling in Mykolaiv, 100 kilometres away from Odesa, western Ukraine. AFP
A wounded Ukrainian man waits in the corridor of the central hospital of Mykolaiv. AFP
A wounded Ukrainian man waits in the corridor of the central hospital of Mykolaiv. AFP
An elderly woman is carried in a shopping cart after being rescued from Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. AP
An elderly woman is carried in a shopping cart after being rescued from Irpin, on the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine. AP
A woman reacts as a train carrying children from Kyiv's Central Children's Hospital leaves the Ukrainian capital on its way to Lviv. Reuters
A woman reacts as a train carrying children from Kyiv's Central Children's Hospital leaves the Ukrainian capital on its way to Lviv. Reuters
A girl sits in an improvised bomb shelter in Mariupol, Ukraine. AP
A girl sits in an improvised bomb shelter in Mariupol, Ukraine. AP
An elderly woman is coated in snow as she sits in a wheelchair after being rescued from Irpin. AP
An elderly woman is coated in snow as she sits in a wheelchair after being rescued from Irpin. AP
Belarusian volunteers take part in military exercises at the Belarusian Company base in Kyiv. AP
Belarusian volunteers take part in military exercises at the Belarusian Company base in Kyiv. AP
Lessa, left, director of a nursery school turned into a refugee shelter, cries as she hugs Olega, who arrived from Kyiv with her baby, near Lviv. EPA
Lessa, left, director of a nursery school turned into a refugee shelter, cries as she hugs Olega, who arrived from Kyiv with her baby, near Lviv. EPA
Ukrainians pass a damaged bridge as they flee from Irpin. AP
Ukrainians pass a damaged bridge as they flee from Irpin. AP
A man carries an elderly woman as people continue to leave Irpin. AP
A man carries an elderly woman as people continue to leave Irpin. AP
A soldier stands on a barricade made of sandbags in central Odesa, Ukraine. Reuters
A soldier stands on a barricade made of sandbags in central Odesa, Ukraine. Reuters
A charred Russian tank and captured tanks in the Sumy region. Reuters
A charred Russian tank and captured tanks in the Sumy region. Reuters
People rest at a temporary shelter for Ukrainian refugees in Przemysl, Poland. AFP
People rest at a temporary shelter for Ukrainian refugees in Przemysl, Poland. AFP
Ukraine's ambassador to the Netherlands, Maksym Kononenko, third right, and his wife Tetiana Doroshenko, fourth left, attend a meeting of members of the Ukrainian community with Dutch King Willem-Alexander, third left, and Queen Maxima, second left, to discuss the situation in Ukraine, in The Hague. EPA
Ukraine's ambassador to the Netherlands, Maksym Kononenko, third right, and his wife Tetiana Doroshenko, fourth left, attend a meeting of members of the Ukrainian community with Dutch King Willem-Alexander, third left, and Queen Maxima, second left, to discuss the situation in Ukraine, in The Hague. EPA
A Ukrainian soldier looks at the destruction after shelling in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv. AFP
A Ukrainian soldier looks at the destruction after shelling in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv. AFP
A refugee holds her dog as they wait for trains to Poland in Lviv, Ukraine. Reuters
A refugee holds her dog as they wait for trains to Poland in Lviv, Ukraine. Reuters
A woman ties ribbons in Ukrainian national flag colours in a girl's hair as people wait at a refugee assistance centre in Prague, Czech Republic. EPA
A woman ties ribbons in Ukrainian national flag colours in a girl's hair as people wait at a refugee assistance centre in Prague, Czech Republic. EPA
A Ukrainian soldier carries an elderly woman crossing the Irpin river on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
A Ukrainian soldier carries an elderly woman crossing the Irpin river on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
Lena, who had never left Ukraine before fleeing into Moldova, feeds Dasha, 3, soon after crossing the border. Erin Clare Brown for The National
Lena, who had never left Ukraine before fleeing into Moldova, feeds Dasha, 3, soon after crossing the border. Erin Clare Brown for The National
Refugees without immediate plans to move further inland can stay the night in tents set up on Moldova's side of the border. Erin Clare Brown for The National
Refugees without immediate plans to move further inland can stay the night in tents set up on Moldova's side of the border. Erin Clare Brown for The National
Tatiana and her son wait for a van that will carry them from the Moldovan border to Chisinau. Erin Clare Brown for The National
Tatiana and her son wait for a van that will carry them from the Moldovan border to Chisinau. Erin Clare Brown for The National
Each night, the Palanca refugee camp in Moldova feeds up to 300 people who arrive with no onward plans. Erin Clare Brown for The National
Each night, the Palanca refugee camp in Moldova feeds up to 300 people who arrive with no onward plans. Erin Clare Brown for The National
People pass a damaged bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, close to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. AP
People pass a damaged bridge while fleeing the town of Irpin, close to the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. AP
A Ukrainian soldier stands guard next to a church in Irpin. EPA
A Ukrainian soldier stands guard next to a church in Irpin. EPA
A firefighter holds the baby of a Ukrainian refugee at the border in Romania. AP
A firefighter holds the baby of a Ukrainian refugee at the border in Romania. AP
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks in Kyiv. Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks in Kyiv. Reuters
A Ukrainian soldier at a checkpoint in Kyiv. AP
A Ukrainian soldier at a checkpoint in Kyiv. AP
Ukrainian activist Ihor Mazur, left, a veteran of the war in the country's east, looks at a night-vision device in Kyiv. AP
Ukrainian activist Ihor Mazur, left, a veteran of the war in the country's east, looks at a night-vision device in Kyiv. AP
Ambassadors attend a UN Security Council meeting on threats to international security after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in New York. Reuters
Ambassadors attend a UN Security Council meeting on threats to international security after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, in New York. Reuters
Ukraine's UN ambassador Sergey Kyslytsya holds a paper with an image of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as he addresses the Security Council in New York. Reuters
Ukraine's UN ambassador Sergey Kyslytsya holds a paper with an image of Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov as he addresses the Security Council in New York. Reuters
A road sign put up in support of Mr Zelenskyy outside Russia's embassy in Washington. AFP
A road sign put up in support of Mr Zelenskyy outside Russia's embassy in Washington. AFP
Ukrainian refugees at the train station in Lviv, western Ukraine. EPA
Ukrainian refugees at the train station in Lviv, western Ukraine. EPA
Lethal and non-lethal Ukrainian aid is loaded on to a plane bound for Poland by Canadian soldiers in Trenton, Ontario. Reuters
Lethal and non-lethal Ukrainian aid is loaded on to a plane bound for Poland by Canadian soldiers in Trenton, Ontario. Reuters
Volunteers carry medical aid and necessities at a train station in Lviv. EPA
Volunteers carry medical aid and necessities at a train station in Lviv. EPA
Everton players wear T-shirts in support of Ukraine as they warm up for an English Premier League football match against Tottenham Hotspur. AP
Everton players wear T-shirts in support of Ukraine as they warm up for an English Premier League football match against Tottenham Hotspur. AP
A residential building damaged by Russian shelling in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Reuters
A residential building damaged by Russian shelling in Chernihiv, Ukraine. Reuters
A man walks past a checkpoint in heavy snow in Lviv. Getty
A man walks past a checkpoint in heavy snow in Lviv. Getty
A man fleeing fighting in Irpin waits to cross a river after Russian forces entered the city. Getty
A man fleeing fighting in Irpin waits to cross a river after Russian forces entered the city. Getty
Soldiers assist Irpin residents underneath a damaged bridge as they flee. Getty
Soldiers assist Irpin residents underneath a damaged bridge as they flee. Getty
Ukrainian civilians who volunteered to join the Territorial Defence Forces take part in a training exercise in Odesa after Russia's invasion. Reuters
Ukrainian civilians who volunteered to join the Territorial Defence Forces take part in a training exercise in Odesa after Russia's invasion. Reuters
Men carry a body to a lorry as people flee from the frontline town of Irpin. EPA
Men carry a body to a lorry as people flee from the frontline town of Irpin. EPA
A Ukrainian police officer runs with a child as the sound of shelling echoes nearby in Irpin. AP
A Ukrainian police officer runs with a child as the sound of shelling echoes nearby in Irpin. AP
Parents and children struggle to board a train in Lviv. AP
Parents and children struggle to board a train in Lviv. AP

Mr Putin was reported to be surprised by the “firmness and unity that the wider world has shown”, and he did not appreciate how “horrified” the West would be.

Middle-class, educated Russians are leaving in large numbers but with credit cards not working and banks rationing cash, along with airspace shut to many countries, they are finding it increasingly difficult to function abroad.

It is expected that the raft of sanctions imposed on Russia will begin to significantly affect ordinary Russians within days.

Security officials' assessment of the war was that the Russian military had made “minimal progress” in the last 24 hours due to Ukraine's resistance and logistics issues.

“We do see the rate at which the Russians are burning through some of their higher end kit as well as a consequence of the success that the Ukrainians are having with their defence,” the official said. “They are exacting a heavy price.”

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The UAE is India’s third-largest trade partner after the US and China

Annual bilateral trade between India and the UAE has crossed US$ 60 billion

The UAE is the fourth-largest exporter of crude oil for India

Indians comprise the largest community with 3.3 million residents in the UAE

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first visited the UAE in August 2015

His visit on August 23-24 will be the third in four years

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visited India in February 2016

Sheikh Mohamed was the chief guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2017

Modi will visit Bahrain on August 24-25

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Updated: March 10, 2022, 12:35 PM
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